Source: http://www.isna.net/

“ISNA believes in the rights of all people to worship freely without fear of intimidation or violence” said Imam Mohamed Magid, ISNA president. “The level of violence in this incident only heightens our responsibility to speak out against religious intolerance and hatred.” He added. ISNA supports religious freedom in words and actions. In the past, the ADAMS center, an affiliate of ISNA and where Imam Magid serves as an executive director, raised funds to rebuild churches that were destroyed by extremists in Pakistan. 

“Not long ago our partners in interfaith, from the Catholic community, stood with us here in America to condemn religious intolerance against Muslim places of worship; today, we stand with them as they grieve the loss of their fellow Catholics and reiterate our commitment to the right of their community to worship freely in Iraq” Said Dr Sayyid Syeed, ISNA National Director for interfaith and community alliances.

—-
CAIR CONDEMNS ATTACK ON IRAQI CHURCH, THREAT TO CHRISTIANS – www.CAIR.com

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/5/10) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned a recent threat against Iraq’s Christian community and a deadly attack in which dozens of Iraqi Christians were killed in a Baghdad church on Sunday.

The group claiming responsibility for the attack, an umbrella group that includes al-Qaeda in Iraq, reportedly threatened “all Christian centers, organizations and institutions, leaders and followers” in an online statement.

In a statement, CAIR said:

“We condemn this attack on a house of worship in the strongest possible terms and repudiate the groups that perpetrate such heinous crimes. The Christian community has a long and honored tradition in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. The lives and religious rights of members of that community must be protected. Threatening people, especially basing such threats on their religion, is immoral and contrary to Islamic principles and teachings about people of other faith traditions. The Prophet Muhammad said: ‘A believer is one from whom the people’s blood and wealth are safe.’”

CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

At 5:30 pm, the main program starts in the school theatre that includes the following events not necessarily in the order that appears below:

- Comedian Mo Amer from the “Allah Made Me Funny” group.

- Brief presentation about Palestine’s history, culture and heritage.

- Palestinian Folk Dance and Songs (Dabka and Mawwal)

- Some Snippets - facts about Palestine.

- A quick interactive question/answer session with opportunities to win prizes.

- Announcement of “Compete for Palestine” contest.*

This event is a great opportunity to be introduced to the Palestinian culture and to experience the heritage of these bereaved people. This event is open to the public and all are welcome. The event is scheduled to end at approximately 8:30 pm.

*Compete for Palestine is an essay and poetry contest for children between the ages of 5 and 18 years old. For more information about this contest and other matters related to Palestine Day, visit our website at www.aqsamn.org

What does it mean to be a feminist? What does it mean to be a Muslim woman in Minnesota? The challenges and experiences of two local Muslim women give us an inside look into the complex identities of this growing Minnesota population. This piece originally aired March 17 on KFAI FM as part of its series “Muslims in Minnesota.” Click here to download the audio version.

Defining feminism can be tricky. It is a messy, complicated question with countless possible answers. “The doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men” is how the dictionary defines it. But how do you decide what is equal when something can’t be quantified? And what’s equal about a culture that requires women to cover themselves in scarves? In this case, the dictionary just doesn’t do the trick.

I sat down with two women who challenged my ideas about what feminism is really about.

“I’ve been living in America for over 20 years,” said Rukhsana Ghouse. “I’m a stay at home mom, and besides trying to nurture my family, I like to take part in community activism.”

Rukhsana Ghouse is a stay-at-home mom and community activist. Photo courtesy KFAI

“I remember in 4th grade, I wasn’t covering in school, but we had class pictures to take,” said Naheeda Hirji-Walji, who works in Minneapolis public schools through an arts outreach program called Project Success. “I thought, I’m covering everywhere but school, so I can take this picture without covering, and then I don’t wanna give it to anybody. Because half of the people around me see me covered. So that was the first time I brought a scarf to school, and I quickly put it on for the picture and then took it off. And that was the first time people were like, Oh my God, Naheeda covered her hair, or, did you see what Naheeda put on her head.”

I have to admit that before these conversations, I had a hard time understanding how a Muslim woman could cover her hair and be empowered at the same time. But Rukhsana explained an element of covering that I had not considered.

“Only about I’d say ten years, or less, I’ve been covering my head with a hijab,” Ghouse said. “That was totally out of choice. I felt like, by covering, women become liberated in a sense, because then we’re judged for our minds and what we do as people rather than for our beauty or what God may have given us as a body.”

“When you work in a school, you think back to your time (in school), and definitely at that time I didn’t realize it, but I was actually very empowered in the sense that I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about what I looked like,” said Hirji-Walji. “I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about dating. I just didn’t, because that wasn’t a part of being Muslim. So at that age, I spent a lot of time thinking about school. I didn’t realize it, but I think that helped me through that time period, being able to stay true to who I was.”

My little sister is in high school, and I worry about the images and ideas in the media that are influencing her and her friends, Bratz dolls and young pop stars seem to be playing into the growing trend of over-sexualized young girls. Although I don’t think religion is the only way to solve this problem, it was interesting to hear from a woman who had avoided all of those influences. It was a reminder that it is possible for a girl to grow up into a strong person no matter what is going on around her.

I asked Rukhsana and Naheeda if they considered themselves feminists.

“That’s a tough question,” Ghouse said, “because I constantly think about the definition of feminism. So I guess my answer to that would be depending on your definition of feminism. I definitely feel that women should be treated with respect and women should be treated equally. You know, humanity should be treated equally. If that makes me a feminist, then yes.”

“I believe that, as a Muslim woman, God has already given me those rights, to be equal to a man,” Hirji-Walji said. “We’re equal in the eyes of God, except we are different. Men are different from women, we have different roles in life. As far as basic human rights and courtesy is concerned, in that sense, I guess you could call me a feminist, in the sense that I do demand respect. I’m not going to be one of those women who is going to be dictated to by men. That has crept into a lot of cultures. It has nothing to do with any particular religion, Islam or otherwise. It’s just crept in through culture, and it’s not right.”

That was one of the big points that both of the women pressed. The oppression of women is not caused by a religion. It is caused by individual people. Women have been oppressed throughout history in many different places and by cultures practicing many different religions. And although they are not in the majority here in Minnesota, Naheeda and Rukhsana both expressed gratitude for the freedoms they have in America.

“I have to say, one of the best blends is being Muslim, being a woman, and living in America,” Hirji-Walji said. “I mean, those three things together–that’s one of the best ways to be an empowered woman. I got lucky, I was born here. There’s a lot of empowerment that comes with being an American woman. Being a Muslim woman, for me in a lot of ways has just added to that empowerment.”

One of the more surprising things Rukhsana told me is that she chooses not to shake hands with men.

“It became more of a problem when I started to become more politically active and do different kind of volunteer jobs,” Ghouse said. “When you first meet some man and they stretch out their hand in a very friendly way to shake your hand and you feel like you’re snubbing them when you don’t stretch your hand out. I immediately try to remember to put a smile on my face and I’ll tell them, please don’t take this personally, but as Muslim woman I can’t shake hands with men, but you know, not to take offense at it. It’s kind of a little awkward situation as soon as you meet a person, you have to explain, OK this is my faith, I can’t do this with you.”

There is such a fear of being different or ostracized in our society that we usually try to hide the thing that makes us stand out, especially around strangers. And Rukhsana stands up for her beliefs everyday, and with every person she comes into contact with.

I don’t know whose definition of feminism is the right one. I do not cover my hair, and I feel empowered. Naheeda and Rukhsana do, and they feel empowered. It occurred to me that perhaps the “right” definition isn’t what we should be looking for. Women show strength through diversity, and through coming together with different voices to make one. We may not all make the same choices, but we all agree that we should have them.

Emily Dussault has been a reporter and news host at KFAI Radio, 90.3 FM in Minneapolis and 106.7 FM in St. Paul, for almost two years.  She lives in Minneapolis and works as an assistant manager at a bookstore in Roseville. Her piece “Empowered Muslim Women” aired on KFAI as part of the station’s special series of stories on Muslims in Minnesota. KFAI said the series aimed to “illuminate the lives of Minnesota’s Muslims and provide listeners greater understanding of the state’s wide variety of Muslim residents.”  The series was funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York through a partnership with the University of Minnesota Institute for Global Studies.

Additonal Media: Download the audio version of this piece from www.kfai.org

Iraq can seem far from Minnesota, both geographically and culturally. While nearly six years of military operations in Iraq have brought images of war and its consequences into American homes, the culture and people of Iraq have rarely followed. Many Americans support peace with Iraq, but know little about Iraqis and wonder how much impact one person can realistically have in a violent world. For a group of Minnesotans and Iraqis, the answer is, “more than you think.” For the Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project (IARP) and the Muslim Peacemaker Teams (MPT), interpersonal and local community connections – rather than strategic agreements between national governments – are exactly what is needed to sustain an enduring process of reconciliation and peacebuilding.

Based in Minneapolis and Najaf, Iraq, IARP and MPT work as partners to build stronger connections between Iraqis and Americans through education, art, and humanitarian aid. Their programs include exchanging handwritten letters between Iraqi and Minnesotan students, showcasing Iraqi art in Minnesota, and finding Minnesotan communities, businesses, and other groups to sponsor water filtration systems for Iraqi schools with no access to safe drinking water. In January, IARP and MPT installed filtration systems at three schools in Najaf, with more schools planned for February and March.

Besides providing clean drinking water for students, the partnership between MPT and IARP is a concrete example of Iraqi and American citizens promoting “reconciliation.” More than resolution of a dispute, reconciliation within the framework of conflict transformation seeks to repair broken relationships and establish “right relationships” of justice, peace and equality.

As John Paul Lederach notes, reconciliation “is built on and oriented toward the relational aspects of a conflict… and create(s) an encounter where people can focus on their relationship.”[1] As the U.S. military slowly draws down its presence in Iraq over the coming months and years, it will be important for Americans and Iraqis to engage in sustained, deliberate and creative efforts to promote reconciliation.

Despite significant (yet fragile) progress in the security and political situation in Iraq, the wounds of war remain in both Iraq and the U.S. Consider the following numbers:

• 151,000 violent Iraqi deaths from March, 2003 through June, 2006.[2]
• 2 out of 3 Iraqi children without access to safe drinking water and 4 million Iraqis considered food insecure and in need of food assistance (November, 2007). Only 17 percent of Iraq’s sewage treated before entering the country’s rivers and waterways (March 2008).[3]
• 4.2 million Iraqis displaced from their homes – 1.8 million refugees outside of Iraq and 2.4 million inside Iraq. Four out of 5 Iraqi refugees report having witnessed a shooting and 3 out of 4 report having had someone close to them killed or murdered (March, 2008).[4]
• More than 4,100 U.S. military casualties in Iraq (February, 2009). About 20 percent of Iraq war veterans report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression (October 2008).[5]
• Approximately $650 billion spent by the U.S. on Iraq war operations (July 2008).[6]

The last six years have bound the histories of Iraq and the U.S. together. If a real partnership between the two countries is to emerge from these six years, local and community connections that promote reconciliation and build grassroots support for peaceful and just foreign policies will be critical.

Such connections will be important, in part, because we live in a globalized and interconnected world. While nation-states (like Iraq and the U.S.) remain the most visible actors on the world stage, the effects of globalization have increased the importance of international corporations, international organizations, and direct, “people to people” dialogue and interaction. Increasingly, the world is tied together through the environment, the global economy, global security, and global communication. With a focus on human rather than national security, many non-governmental organizations and individual actors recognize that, in the 21^st century, the future well-being of all people is increasingly interconnected.

While some argue that international peace and reconciliation are unrealistic or even irresponsible goals for nation-states to pursue in a chaotic and dangerous world, too often this argument misperceives reconciliation as an all-or-nothing, ideal end state. Instead, reconciliation is an imperfect, practical process with concrete and achievable steps that can support national (as well as global) interests and security. For example, a process of reconciliation could help alleviate the current, widespread anti-Americanism among Arab populations.[7]

Anti-Americanism harms U.S. interests in the Middle East in several ways: government allies in the region find it harder to cooperate with the U.S.; greater instability follows a greater disconnect between repressive, pro-American governments and anti-American populations; anti-American movements find it easier to recruit new followers; and the U.S. has less “soft power” (everything “American” – values, culture, and policy – is less attractive). By taking steps to address grievances and change policies that are perceived as unjust, anti-Americanism can be reduced and foreign policy goals made easier to realize. President Obama took one such step on January 26 when he gave a television interview to the Arabic news station al-Arabiya. In the interview, he asserted his commitment to listen to the Arab world and the Muslim world and his readiness “to initiate a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest.”[8]

Of course, words must be followed by actions in order to demonstrate sincerity. One initial action that Americans can take is to acknowledge the truth, a common first step in processes of reconciliation. The Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project, for example, begins with an acknowledgment that the U.S. invasion of Iraq caused widespread suffering among Iraqis (and among all those affected by the war, including U.S. military personnel and their families). Because this truth – or any “truth” – about history depends on one’s perspective in history, it is important to listen to multiple perspectives (in this case, to Iraqis and to others around the world), and especially to victims. Then, after listening and acknowledging, it is important to apologize for past wrongdoing and admit guilt or responsibility. The corresponding step of forgiveness occurs in some processes of reconciliation but not all, and cannot be imposed.

Acknowledging truth and accepting responsibility usually must be followed by concrete action to redress past wrongs. Such action usually takes the form of retributive justice (perpetrators held accountable and punished), restorative justice (perpetrators, victims, and their communities undergo a process to repair and rebuild their relationships), or distributive justice (goods in a society are redistributed in a more just manner), or a combination of these three. Restorative and distributive justice generally entail some form of reparations, or compensation offered to victims. Besides economic reparations, social and political reparations (e.g., greater political rights) are possible. While not exactly reparations, the water filtration systems installed by IARP and MPT offer aid to victims of the conflict in Iraq with the goal of transforming relationships between Americans and Iraqis.

In order for a process of reconciliation to endure, it is important to build trust and create assurances that past grievances will not reoccur. At the interpersonal level, cultural exchanges can develop shared values and increase mutual understanding and respect, thereby decreasing support for future use of force or violence that could harm the other. For example, IARP’s Iraq Art Project brings art from Iraq to local Minnesota communities with the aim of building “on the transformative power of art (to) personalize relationships with Iraqis.”[9]Local galleries, coffee-shops and businesses host art shows of paintings by Iraqi artists and expose Minnesotans to the people and land of Iraq. IARP then sells the paintings, giving part of the proceeds to the artists and part to MPT to support its reconciliation efforts in Iraq. Similarly, IARP’s Letters for Peace program facilitates exchanges of letters between Iraqi and American students in order to create personal relationships and plant seeds of understanding and respect.

Such programs offer creative ways to decrease the distance between Americans and Iraqis at a critical juncture in the relationship between the U.S. and Iraq (and between the U.S. and the world). Nearly six years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Americans and Iraqis have been bound together by war. Now is the time to turn those ties into a more peaceful, shared future. As organizations like IARP and MPT recognize, this can only happen in local communities – one personal connection at a time.

[1] John Paul Lederach, Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies (Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, 1997), 30.

[2] “New study estimates 151,000 violent Iraqi deaths since 2003 invasion,” World Health Organization (January 9, 2008), http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr02/en/index.html.

[9] Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project website, http://www.mpt-iraq.org/IraqArtProject.html.

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Tamim Saidi

Reflections of an Imperfect Muslim

By Tamim Saidi, Engage Minnesota

Like many Muslims around the world, I grew up in a country that was 99.9% Muslim. Excluding a very small Hindu population, the only time we saw someone who was not a Muslim was on television. The vast majority of people in Afghanistan, my country of birth, like some other regions in the Muslim-majority parts of the world, had very little interaction with people of other faiths.

On the contrary, the history of Islam is full of Muslims’ relations with people who were not Muslims. The Qur’an (the last revelation from God), and the Sunnah (the traditions of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him), as well as many early Islamic books have rich information guiding Muslims how to properly and benevolently interact with people of other faiths.

Islamic teachings make it clear that in dealing with people of other faiths, Muslims should be kind, truthful, honest, just, generous, respectful, and polite. They should not break their promises or violate others’ property rights.

No one reading the history of Islam can miss that the early Muslims–including the Last Prophet, peace be upon him (p)– were born in, lived with, interacted with and loved many of the non-Muslims in their time. It is documented clearly that Prophet (p) shed tears after the death of his beloved uncle, Abu Talib, who died without accepting Islam. It was at this time that God, Almighty, told the Prophet (p) and the Muslims that it is God, alone, who has the power to convert the hearts of people to Islam, believing in and submitting to the One God.

Muslims understand it clearly that they have no power and no obligation to convert people to Islam.

It is also clearly documented in Islamic history that the first generation of Muslims lived peacefully under a Christian king of Abyssinia, Negus or Najashi. The Qur’an assigns a very distinctive place for Jews and Christians as the “People of the Book.” Muslims believe that God, Almighty, had sent prophets and revealed the earlier scriptures, the Torah and the Gospel. Based on Islamic guidelines, in Muslim-majority countries, religious minorities should be given the freedom to practice their religion and to live by the rules and regulation in their scriptures.

It is made very clear in the Qur’an (chapter 2 verse 256) that there is “No compulsion in religion.” Muslims are forbidden to coerce or force people to convert to Islam. Faith and belief has to originate from the hearts and minds. Forcing people can only create hypocrites, not believers. The presence of numerous active churches, synagogues and temples and large non-Muslim populations under Muslim rule rebuffs the myth of “conversion at the sword point.” If Muslims had practiced forced conversions, no one would have found vibrant Christian or Jewish communities in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, or Hindus in India, where Muslims ruled for centuries. Many non-Muslims, including the conquering Mongols, willingly converted to Islam after finding out what Islam was truly about.

The Qur’an also makes it clear that the places of worship (“monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques,” etc) should be protected as the places where the “name of God is commemorated in abundance.” (Chapter 22 Verse 40)

Omar ibn Al-Khattab, the second Caliph and a very close companion of the Prophet (p), granted religious freedom to non-Muslim citizens under his rule and the sanctity of their synagogues and places of worship were confirmed:

“This is the protection which the servant of Allah, Omar, the Commander of the Believers, extends to the people of Ilya (Jerusalem): The safeguarding of their lives, properties, churches, crosses, and of their entire community. Their churches cannot be occupied, demolished, or damaged, nor are their crosses or anything belonging to them to be touched. They will never be forced to abandon their religion, nor will they be oppressed.” (At-Tabari, Tarikh, Vol III, Dar Al-Ma`arif)

This is very much in accordance with the pact that the Prophet Muhammad (p) made in the year 628 with Christian monks of St. Catherine Monastery. It is also known as the Charter of Privileges:

“This is a message from Muhammad ibn (son of) Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.

No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.

Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC0307-2035

Similarly, many provisions were made in the Constitution of Medina for Jewish tribes of Medina. Additionally, a large number of Spanish Jews, who fled Spain under the Inquisition and took refuge in Muslim lands, thrived and reached high levels of government.

Forget “forced conversions”; in the Qur’an, God forbids the Muslims from even impolitely arguing or quarrelling with People of the Book (29:46). Muslims are encouraged to focus on their common grounds with people of other faiths. The Qur’an commands Muslims to say: “We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is One, and unto Him we submit (Islam means submission to God). (29:46). God, the Most High and Exalted, never call Himself (God is not considered a man, but genderless in Islam) the “God of Muslims” but the “Lord of the Universe” (Chapter 1) and “The God and the Lord of the humankind” (Chapter 114). Prophet Muhammad (p) is considered as the “Mercy to the Universe” and not just a mercy to the Muslims. There are numerous verses in the Qur’an that God, Almighty, addresses not just the Muslims but the entire humankind.

In an oft-quoted incidence, the last prophet of God taught Muslims to respect humanity irrespective of their religion. It has been narrated that, upon noticing a funeral procession, the Prophet (p) stood up in respect of the deceased. A companion tried to pull him down, saying, “She is a Jew, O Messenger of God!” He (p) asked “Isn’t she a human soul going back to her Lord?”

Hadith books relate that in prohibiting Muslims from harming and doing injustice to people, the Prophet (p) said: There is no obstruction between the prayer of the oppressed and their Lord, even if he/she happens to be a non-Muslim. This injustice is forbidden at the individual level as well as at the governmental level. Ibn Taymiyah, a renowned Muslim scholar of the early ages, had said “Allah guards the justice-loving government, even if not Muslim, and destroys a tyrant government, even if Muslim.”

I can’t think of a better slogan than this to put on bumper stickers, T-shirts and billboards in some of the Muslim-majority parts of the world.

The other part of the responsibility of Muslims is toward neighbors. This is such an important and vast topic that it would require several pages of explanation. The rights of neighbors can be summarized by two of the very famous sayings of the Prophet (p):

“Your faith is not complete until you want for your brother (or sister) what you want for yourself.”

“Your faith is not complete if you are full and your neighbor is starving.”

Scholars have said that these apply to a Muslim neighbor as well as a neighbor who is not a Muslim; to our brothers in faith, or our brothers in humanity.

Thinking about the lofty standards that God and His Messenger have set for us in treating our neighbors, friends, colleagues and fellow humans, in spite of my meager attempts, I often feel as if these standards are at the ceiling level, I–like many other Muslims–function barely at about an inch off the floor.

It would be unfair if people around me judged Islam based on my flawed practices. Even on a good day, I do not think I can fully meet the high standards of kindness, generosity, decency, charity, truthfulness, justice, honesty and cooperation towards my fellow humans and neighbors required by Islam.

So maybe the slogan that I should put on my T-shirts, or on my car bumper sticker should be: “I am just an imperfect Muslim, don’t misjudge Islam because of me.”

Dr. Ingrid Mattson spoke at the Islamic Center of Minnesota (ICM) on February 2, 2009. The topic of her speech was “Religious Co-existence and the Challenges of the 21st Century.” Dr. Mattson was in town at the invitation of the ICM and was also scheduled to speak at the JRLC event at the State Capitol on February 3. The sold out event at the ICM was attended by a large number of Muslims and people of other faith traditions including several religious leaders from the Christian, and Jewish communities.

The dinner was catered by the Big Marina Grill and featured Kosher and Halal food items to cater to the needs of the diverse gathering.

Dr. Mattson spoke about her election as the first woman president of ISNA (www.isna.net), the largest Muslim organization in North America. Addressing an audience of over 300, she made the case for joint action by religious communities to face the challenges of the 21st century.

She stated that religion has an unique responsibility to preserve the dignity of children of Adam and promote compassion among each other. She emphasized three concepts that religion provides: transcendence, ethics, and community. While keeping their own unique particulars and traditions, Islam, Christianity and Judaism can produce a common language. A language that gives meaning to life through connection to God and enrich our communities by promoting care for the neighbor. She alluded to the Common Word initiative undertaken by a majority of mainstream Muslim scholars worldwide to find common ground with Judaism and Christianity.

She focused on the fact that, in the age of instant gratification and distant communities, religion is the only vehicle that is best equipped to articulate the common and long lasting good and bring people together. Isolated and monotonic activities within the confines of our respective faith communities will not satisfy the next generation. It is our duty to expand the space for the young generation for respectful engagement within and across faith communities and with the rest of God’s creation.

The event ended with a brief question and answer session.

By CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations

Obama urged to speak ‘in favor of peace and justice for all parties’

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 12/27/08) – A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today condemned Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip that left more than 200 people dead and called the death toll a “massacre carried out using U.S. taxpayer-funded weapons.” More than 700 people, including women and children, were injured in the attacks.

SEE: Israeli Strikes Kill 229 in Gaza (Reuters)
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said in a statement:

“Despite the public ‘green light’ given to the Israeli military by the Bush administration, American Muslims join our fellow citizens who respect international law and the sanctity of human life in repudiating this massacre carried out using U.S. taxpayer-funded weapons.”

“It must be clear by now that the only future offered to the Palestinian people by the outgoing administration was one of perpetual subjugation and humiliation at the hands of the Israeli occupiers. Unfortunately, our nation’s timid response to this tragic episode will only serve to fuel anti-American sentiments in the Muslim world.”

“We therefore call on President-elect Obama to demonstrate his commitment to change our nation’s current one-sided Mideast policy by speaking out now in favor of peace and justice for all parties to this decades-long conflict.”

“We also call on world leaders to take direct action to end Israel’s counterproductive and wildly disproportionate attacks and to end the humanitarian siege of Gaza, which led to the recent breakdown of the ceasefire.”

CAIR noted that the European Union (EU), Russia, the UN Secretary-General, the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and other international bodies are all urging Israel to end it attacks.

Middle East envoy Tony Blair deplored the “tragic of loss of life,” while French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned Israel’s “disproportionate use of force.”

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the Israeli attacks were “inflicting an unacceptable toll on Palestinian civilians and will only worsen the humanitarian crisis as well as complicate the search for a peaceful solution.”

Jesus, son of Mary, peace and blessings upon them, is a revered religious figure and the bedrock of Christianity. He also is a venerated figure in Islam, the faith of some 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him, said: “Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary, peace and blessings upon him. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one.”

Like Christians, Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, upon him be peace, and in his miracles. Jesus’ life and mission are mentioned in eleven chapters of the Qur’an. A few of the chapters are titled: Maryam (Mary the mother of Jesus); Imran (noble family of Jesus), and Ma’ida (the Last Supper). Jesus, upon him be peace, is glorified in the Qur’an and is referred to as “the Messiah,” “a Word of God,” and “a Sign of God.”

Muslims regard Jesus, upon him be peace, as one of the mightiest messengers of God. He and his supporter, John the Baptist, and John’s father, Zachariah, are two other prophets of God and are of an unbroken noble lineage going back to the patriarch of monotheism, Abraham. Peace and blessings upon them all.

His miraculous birth began when his maternal grandmother, Hanna, who was barren, prayed for a child to devote to God’s service. God answered her prayer by giving her Mary. The Quran calls Mary “the most honored woman among all nations.”

When Mary, upon her be peace, matured, Archangel Gabriel came to her and said: “‘O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter, and of (the company of) those nearest to God.’ “

Being a chaste virgin, Mary could not comprehend this news.

Gabriel comforted her by explaining that, when God wishes to create anything, He says, “Be,” and it is. Muslims find similarities between Jesus’ birth and that of Adam, peace and blessings upon them, who was created without a father or mother. Jesus’ miraculous birth was a sign to people of the spiritual world who understood the spirit of the Divine Law. The Laws of God were not meant for those in power to dominate the weak, but to protect the weak from the exploitation of the strong. During Jesus’ time, the laws of God were divorced from the spirit of God. The Laws became an end instead of a means to nurture hearts and aid humanity in their worship of God.

Like every woman, Mary, upon her be peace, suffered during childbirth, but her suffering was compounded by her fear of how she would explain her pregnancy to her noble family. Muslims believe Jesus, peace and blessings upon him, performed his first miracle in the cradle by defending his mother’s honor to her family and people.

Muslims do not believe in original sin or that Jesus’ death was atonement for our sins. Rather, Muslims believe Jesus’ mission was to complement the legalism of the Torah and the prevalent materialism at the time with humility and spirituality, which were missing in his time.

In Islamic tradition, it is narrated that once Jesus, peace and blessings upon him, and his disciples were outside the temple of Solomon, and the disciples said, “O Messiah of God, look at the House of God! What could be finer?” Jesus replied, “Amen. Amen. But I say to you that God will not leave one stone of this House standing. Indeed, God will destroy it because of the misdeeds of its people. God does not build anything of worth with gold or silver, nor even with these stones. Righteous hearts are more beloved to God than these stones. For God cultivates the earth with righteous hearts; and, in their absence, the earth is destroyed.”

What are righteous hearts? Jesus was once insulted over and over but he replied with prayers and supplications every time. One of the disciples asked him, O spirit of God, you respond with goodness every time you are insulted! He replied, “A man can only spend from what he owns.”

Jesus, upon him be peace, confirmed the Torah, but he also emphasized the importance of compassion, mercy, love, humility and self-purification as vital in learning the words of God’s message and acquiring the wisdom to act upon it. His spirituality and words emphasized the merciful and loving attributes of God’s nature.

For example, when the priests brought before him an adulteress, and they asked him to enforce the Mosaic Law of stoning her to death, Jesus responded: “Whoever among you is sinless can stone her.” No one eligible arose. Jesus turned to the woman who knelt before him crying and told her to stand up, adding: “O Lord, forgive her sins.”

According to Islamic teachings, once Jesus, peace and blessings upon him, met IblÏs [Satan] and IblÏs said, “Is it not true that only what has been decreed will happen?” Jesus replied, “That is true.” Then IblÏs said, “So throw yourself down from the top of this mountain, and let us see if you live or not!” Jesus answered, “The servant does not test his master; rather, it is the master who tests his servant.”

Like many prophets who were empowered by miracles to suit their time and circumstances, Jesus, upon him be peace, was empowered by God to communicate divinity not only in words but by many miracles as well. Jesus, the son of Mary, upon him be peace, said, “God has given me the power to give life to the dead, sight to the blind, sound to the deaf; but He did not give me the power to heal the fool of his foolishness.”

During the last supper Jesus, upon him be peace, had with his disciples, he prayed for a “holy table” to be sent down from the heavens, so it fell before him, covered with a napkin. It is said that thousands of people ate from it, and yet never exhausted it.

Muslims believe after plots were made to kill Jesus, upon him be peace, he was not crucified but raised to the Heavens like the Biblical figures Enoch and Elijah. However, Jesus will come back again as a just ruler and this time, like Moses and Muhammad, peace and blessings upon them, he will marry, have children and lead a war against the oppressors on earth and die a natural death.

Although there are differences between the Muslim and Christian view of Jesus, upon him be peace, the Qur’an repeatedly guides Muslims not to dispute with other monotheists over matters of doctrine. Muslims must make known their faith, but only God guides people to Islam. “It is true you wilt not be able to guide whom you love; but God guides those whom He will and He knows best those who receive guidance. “

For more quotes in Islamic tradition about Jesus, upon him be peace, read: Walking on Water on www.zaytuna.org.

Fedwa Wazwaz is a Palestinian-American freelance writer who lives in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

On Friday, December 5, CAIR-MN met with representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Director of Field Operations and the Operations Specialist traveled from Chicago for the meeting. Also present at the meeting were the Minnesota Port Director and Assistant Port Director of Passenger Operations.

The meeting was part of an effort to build relationships between the Muslim community and different government and security organizations that work in the airport in order to proactively facilitate communication, avoid cultural misunderstandings and help to educate travelers about the ways that they can possibly avoid unwanted delays at the airport.

CAIR-MN gave a brief synopsis on a variety of complaints that Muslims bring to the CAIR-MN office involving profiling and delays. One case CAIR-MN highlighted focused on a Muslim woman who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs officials and harassed by a supervisor as she re-entered the U.S. after a 10-day international trip. She was questioned about her heritage, including questions about her parents’ place of birth. When she refused to answer, she was told, “Heritage has everything to do with your travels. It has to do with upbringing and values.” Her luggage was searched for “religious items.” The agents clarified that an investigation has taken place and that inappropriate comments were made and apologized for such incidents. They also expressed interest in learning about the Muslim community so that incidencts like these do not occur.

The agents reiterated that if a traveler encounters inappropriate conduct by a CBP agent the travel er should immediately report the incident to the supervisor on site. If further assistance is needed, ask to speak with the Chief. Agents also explained that their job is subjective, where they are trained to assess body language and cooperation of travelers. If travelers are hostile, it probes agents to ask more intrusive questions, and there is a fine line between doing their job and being inappropriate in their questioning. CAIR-MN emphasized that these issues are more about “customer service” and treating travelers with respect. CAIR-MN suggested giving honest reasons on why questions are asked and training agents on what would be considered respectful and disrespectful conduct.

CAIR-MN also informed agents about hajj travel and distributed the CAIR-MN “Hajj Travel Guide for Officials.” CAIR-MN made the agents aware of practices and items hajj travelers may bring, such as dates and ZamZam water. CAIR-MN emphasized that if passengers carried unlawful quantities in their carry-on luggage, to not discard the holy water, as that would be disrespectful. CAIR-MN advised that they would be available to dispense of the water appropriately.

CAIR-MN and U.S. Customs and Borders agreed to meet on a monthly basis and will invite other agencies (CIS, TSA, law enforcement, etc) to join the meetings. Additionally, CAIR-MN will be offering trainings to U.S. Customs and Borders officers at the Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport in the upcoming months, as well as a training on hajj prior to Hajj 2009.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

A Muslim family was detained at the MSP airport on their way home from a week-long vacation in Europe. They were told the search was “random” although others who were also detained were either of South Asian or Arab descent.

A young Muslim woman was detained as she entered the United States with her husband after their honeymoon. Her husband, a Caucasian-American, was not even questioned.

A Muslim sister was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs officials and harassed by a supervisor as she re-entered the U.S. after a 10-day international trip. She was questioned about her heritage, including questions about her parents’ place of birth. When she refused to answer, she was told, “Heritage has everything to do with your travels. It has to do with upbringing and values.” Her luggage was searched for “religious items.”

An Arab man was detained for six hours and placed in handcuffs after officials mistook his identity for someone on a watch list. He has a common Arab name.

Given the increase in the number of complaints to CAIR-MN alleging airport profiling of American Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim, it is important that all those taking part in this year’s Hajj, or other holiday travel, be aware of their legal and civil rights and responsibilities.

As an airline passenger, you are entitled to courteous, respectful and non-stigmatizing treatment by airline and security personnel. You have the right to complain about treatment that you believe is discriminatory.

If you believe you have been treated in a discriminatory manner, immediately:

1. Ask for the names and ID numbers of all persons involved in the incident. Be sure to write this information down.
2. Ask if you have been singled out because of your name, looks, dress, race, ethnicity, faith, or national origin.
3. Write down a statement of facts immediately after the incident. Be sure to include the flight number, the flight date, and the name of the airline.

If you believe you have witnessed discriminatory treatment, you can:

1. Approach the person involved and ask if they feel they are being treated in a discriminatory manner.
2. Offer to speak to a supervisor with the person who has been treated in a discriminatory manner.
3. Write down a statement of facts immediately after the incident. Be sure to include the flight number, the flight date, and the name of the airline.
4. Contact CAIR-MN: info@mn.cair.com, 651-645-7102.

When returning from Hajj, or other international travel:

1. Airlines will NOT allow you to carry liquids in large quantities as hand luggage. For those returning from hajj, place any ZamZam water that you bring back with you in your checked luggage.
2. If you are bringing back dates, make sure they are processed and sufficiently dry.
3. When packing, ensure that your shoes are cleaned of any soil to avoid having your luggage opened at the airport. CBP has strict rules for allowing any soil or chemicals into the country.
4. If you are bringing back items worth more than $800 (per person) declare them using the CBP Declaration Form, made available by airline staff when landing.
5. Fingerprinting and photographing may be conducted for those traveling on a non-immigrant visa (i.e. non-U.S citizens or non-US. residents).

CAIR-MN offers a published “Know Your Rights” pocket guide in both English and Somali. CAIR-MN also offers “Know Your Rights” presentations, including one specifically for Muslims leaving for hajj.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

For more information, contact CAIR-MN, 651-645-7102, info@mn.cair.com.

CAIR-MN is meeting with Customs & Borders officials in early December and is gathering narratives from the community to share with the officials. If you would like to share an incident (you can remain anonymous) in which you feel you were profiled, please email your narrative to: info@mn.cair.com.

Asma Lori Saroya is a Crime Victim Services Coordinator in Minneapolis. She is a graduate of the College of St. Catherine and lives in Blaine with her husband. In her spare time, Asma volunteers with the Muslim Youth of Minnesota and the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American–Islamic Relations. She also teaches English at the Cedar-Riverside Adult Education Collaborative.