VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Vol 32, June 15, 2008
St. Louis, Missouri

Editors: Mohamed and Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

FOCUS OF THE WEEK:

Part I: MUSLIMS IN SAN DIEGO - CALIFORNIA

SAN DIEGO is the second largest city in California and the eight largest city in the U.S. by population. As of 2000 census, 13.9 % of the population were Asians, Hawaiians and Pacific Islands. San Diego is a coastal Southern California city located in the southwestern corner of the continental United States. According to " Sister Cities International" San Diego has fifteen sister cities in the world including one in Jalalabad, Afghanistan and one in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

SAN DIEGO MUSLIM COMMUNITY:

Below is a condensed version of an article by Sandi Dolbee (Union-Tribune Staff Writer) published in www.signonsandiego.com. Referring to the San Diego Muslim Community, she stated:

"They're from far away places like Morocco, Lebanon, Pakistan, Michigan, New Jersey and Casa de Oro. Maureen Slater, who grew up in Casa de Oro and "reverted" to Islam, says the all-encompassing burqa and gloves she wears in public eliminate hang-ups over physical appearance. Some stand apart. Women who wear scarves tight around their faces, some even swathed from head to foot, and men in loose shirts flowing down their legs. Others are in jeans and pullovers, their hair exposed to the sun, or in the dress whites of a naval officer. These are the faces of Islam in San Diego, adherents to a 1,400-year-old monotheistic faith that has become the world's second-largest religion. Community members estimate that 80,000 to 100,000 Muslims live in San Diego County, although an exact census figure isn't available. That means there are more Muslims here than Presbyterians or Episcopalians or United Methodists, and the number of Muslims is roughly equal to the number of Jews. The faces are diverse: immigrants and converts, newcomers and old-timers, Arabs, Asians, Africans and Anglos, who all look at the world through Muslim eyes.

"A handful of Jewish, Muslim and Christian representatives in San Diego signed a statement denouncing "the teaching of religious intolerance and hatred" and urging "all religious traditions in our community to stop utilizing hate-filled materials which seek to dehumanize entire communities."

MUSLIM GIRL SCOUTS OF SAN DIEGO, HELP COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND ISLAM:

In above article by Jody Hammond she stated: "Mention Girl Scouting and you picture girls earning merit badges, selling cookies and doing good deeds. There are three troops here in San Diego whose members do all those things, but they may not fit your image of the typical Girl Scout. As Jody Hammond tells us, they hold their meetings at a local mosque. At the Islamic Center of San Diego, San Diego’s largest mosque, the call to prayer is heard five times a day. And the Girl Scout oath is heard twice a month, at troop meetings. THE MOSQUE IS HOME TO THREE MUSLIM GIRL SCOUT TROOPS, ABOUT 50 GIRLS ALTOGETHER.

Each scout troop was founded by Lallia Allali, in 2004. Lallia is a devout Muslim and mother of three daughters. Her husband, TAHA HASSANE, IS THE IMAM AT THE ABOVE MOSQUE. They both feel that Girl Scouting fits right in with their faith. Lallia Allali stated: "What we have in our religions is all about values, all about morals and that’s what I like about the Girl Scouts. Hassane: There is no contradiction between the values and principles of the Girl Scout and preserving our identity. That may come as a surprise to many Americans, who believe the Muslim religion subjugates women. Scouting has allowed these Muslim families to reach out to the non-Muslim community, while allowing their children to experience American culture in a safe, supervised environment. For some of the parents, scouting has been a hard sell, but not for the girls themselves. Yes, there are special Muslim Girl Scout merit badges, designed by the troops themselves.

And the month-long observance of Ramadan provides a chance to invite members from other troops to learn about the Muslim religion. Lallia has put together a booklet to explain the meaning of Ramadan. Ellen Mann, Girl Scout volunteer support coordinator stated: "What I think is so amazing is that you explain everything. You don’t just have people guess and wonder why you’re not doing something and this is such an outreach to everyone else. The guests have been invited to dinner. They learn that the dawn-to-dusk fasting during Ramadan is broken each night by eating dates. This is a new culinary experience for some of the younger visitors. Lallia and Taha never miss an opportunity to make visitors to the mosque feel at home. Hassane: I hope that this event today will help all of us to build bridges between people from different faiths from our society.

Marie Ross, Clairemont Girl Scout troop leader: It’s part of what’s beautiful about America is that we can meet like this and that is where our American value of tolerance is built. It’s built in young children. The girls line up to have their hands painted with intricate henna designs, an art form from the Middle East. The Ramadan open house also gives Girl Scout leaders a chance to ask questions of Lallia. Inevitably, the talk turns to why Muslim women must be covered from head to toe. Girl Scout mom: Why not wear American clothes since you’re in America? But now I understand why. There’s one question that always gets asked - about the hijab, or headscarf. Jaclyn Ross, Clairemont Girl Scout: Some of the little ones don’t have a headdress, yet a couple of them do and others don’t. It’s confusing.

The hijab is supposed to be worn once a girl reaches puberty, but some girls decide not to wait. At age 10, Layla has jumped the gun a bit. Layla Elmi, Muslim Girl Scout: We cover ourselves from men because we want only to protect our body from other people’s eyes. We also become modest because we don’t want anyone seeing our body, not because like, our body’s weird or anything, but we want to be modest. But modesty hasn’t kept her from being an active member of a soccer team. Layla wears the bright team shirt, over her long-sleeved shirt and pants. No one on her team even notices the hijab anymore. But today she’s playing with another disadvantage. She’s fasting because it’s Ramadan. She can’t even have a drink of water until sundown. It was Layla’s choice to start wearing the hijab early. It was hard on her mom. Roshan Elmi, Layla’s mother: There was a time I cried. I wanted to see. It was too early for me. It was her decision. I asked, I said, maybe I’m not doing the right thing. Doing the right thing, it’s a question parents constantly ask themselves, Muslim or not. Hassane: The program of the Girl Scouts teaches these values with fun, with making the girls like what they are doing and also help our girls to integrate within the American society. Especially, our girls are American citizens. They were born and raised here. We don’t want to raise them in isolation.

Muslim parents feel they have found the right formula with Girl Scouting, one that respects their religious beliefs while allowing their daughters to be all-American girls. The Islamic Center of San Diego is also home to Muslim Boy Scout troops. In fact, Imam Taha Hassane was a Boy Scout in his native Algeria. But other fathers haven’t shown much interest. Most of the troop leaders are moms, not dads. (Source: www.kpbs.org/tv)

A THOUGHTFUL ARTICLE ON MUSLIMS IN SAN DIEGO BY D.GOODMANSON.

(www.goodmanson.com)

“People keep saying that Muslims are not voicing their opinion by condemning terrorism. This is because Fox News is not coming here to ask us our opinions,” said Usman Khan, a volunteer and congregant at the Islamic Center of San Diego (ICSD). “Ask anyone here what they understand Islam to be, and they will condemn terrorism.”

Khan often speaks at local colleges and high schools about Islam. “We want to represent the peaceful faith. Yes, there are bad Muslims, but you can’t fault Islam for that. There are bad Christians and bad Jews. Do we fault Christianity with Hitler, who used the Bible to justify his actions? Do we blame Christians because of the KKK? Do people hold the Jews accountable because of Baruch Goldstein?” (In 1994, Goldstein killed 29 Arab worshippers and injured 100 in the Cave of the Patriarchs, a site holy to both Muslims and Jews.)

Khan said that 1.2 billion Muslims should not be blamed for the action of a few extremists. Khan stated that the media indicts Muslims. “I listen to local talk radio, such as Roger Hedgecock and Rick Roberts. They misquote Islam and spread false ideas about what we believe. I have tried to call them, but they either hang up on me or leave me on hold,” said Khan. “Muslims get blamed more than any other group.

After the Oklahoma bombing, people instantly accused Islamic terrorists. But there is no such thing as Islamic terrorism.” Khan said the terrorists are motivated over political issues. “The problems in the Middle East that cause terrorism are because the people are oppressed by dictators and past western colonization. It is a political issue. There is nothing Islamic about terrorism. We don’t call the IRA bombings Catholic terrorism.” Khan said that the beliefs of Islam are not compatible with terrorism.

ISLAMIC CENTER OF SAN DIEGO:
(www.icsd.org)

(The largest of the City's nineteen mosques)

.

IMAMS IN US MILITARY:
US Marines' first Muslim chaplain (Imam) happy to make history
(Condensed version)

By SANDI DOLBEE
The San Diego Union-Tribune

CAMP PENDLETON -- When people ask him about the crescent moon pinned on the left collar of his cammies, Abuhena Saif-ul-Islam tells them he's an astronaut. Then he laughs.

It is the laugh of someone who is making history. Confident, happy and excited.

LIEUTENANT Saif-ul-Islam is the first Muslim chaplain (Imam) assigned to the Marine Corps. Technically, he is a Navy chaplain (the Navy supplies chaplains for the Marines). He reported to his first assignment in September at the South Mesa Chapel at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego.

"History will judge me as the first one (first Imam) in the Marines," he admitted. But that's OK, because the way he sees it, there is a higher judge. "It's all God's call and God's will. We are God's ambassadors."

His arrival reflects the increasingly pluralistic landscape of America and its military.

The Army was the first to add Muslim chaplains, beginning in 1993. It now has six. Saif-ul-Islam was the Navy's second Muslim chaplain. Roughly 4,000 Muslims are in the armed forces.

A choir room is being renovated into a makeshift mosque. He holds Islamic services there midday Fridays, the holiest day of the Muslim week. He also offers an Islamic studies class elsewhere on the military base on Sundays.

"It's a great blessing from God himself," said Lance Corporal. Yousuf Enayat. Enayat is hoping that the new chaplain will help show that Muslims are just like everybody else. "The world pretty much has got the wrong idea about Muslims."

INTER-RELIGOUS DUTIES:

Like other military chaplains, however, Saif-ul-Islam will be, in many respects, an interreligious representative. The tradition is for interfaith cooperation, tolerance and acceptance.

He will, for example, offer premarital training, classes on coping with stress, and one-on-one counseling to Marines, regardless of religious background. He also will offer prayers at nondenominational events.

That suits the new chaplain just fine. He opens his Koran and reads passages from it about unity. "We believe we are all from one family," he said.

He hopes to be a resource for other chaplains who are serving Muslim troops elsewhere. Already, he has had e-mail inquiries from as far away as Japan.

The 38-year-old Saif-ul-Islam, slightly built and soft-spoken, was born and raised in Bangladesh, where he got his bachelor's and master's degrees in finance.

He came to the United States in 1989 to continue his education. After getting his MBA in 1991, he decided he wanted to be a Navy officer. However, he wasn't yet a U.S. citizen, so he enlisted instead as a sailor.

He was stationed at the Pentagon as a clerk. While he was there, he got his citizenship -- and some gentle nudging to become a chaplain. Already devout in his faith, he attended an Islamic institute in Virginia to become an imam, and got his chaplaincy training in Newport, Rhode Island.

His wife, Kaniz Fatema was educated as a physician in Bangladesh.

Two longtime military officers at Camp Pendleton say they are excited by Saiful-Islam's arrival.

Marine Leiutanent Colonel Steve Warner, commanding officer of the area where Saif-ul-Islam is assigned, is a Presbyterian who describes himself as "pro-religion." He says he is looking forward himself to learning more about Islam, as well as being able to serve the needs of any troops who are Muslim. "They're all my Marines," Warner said.

Navy Commander Dudley Johnson, a United Methodist chaplain who is in charge of the South Mesa Chapel, sees the addition as part of the "maturing consciousness" about religious freedom.

After 18 years, Johnson said he's done just about everything that a person in his job could do, including being out to sea on more than two dozen ships.

But getting to shepherd the first Muslim chaplain assigned to the Marines "was a professional opportunity that I was honored to be a part of." (Above from www.islamfortoday.com)

As usual feel free to e-mail your comments: info@mehrunyusuficds.com

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

St. Louis, Missouri
Volume 31, June 8, 2008

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

FOCUS OF THE WEEK:


Female Genital Mutilation: "PLEASE, NOT IN THE NAME OF ISLAM"

(www.nytimes.com: INDONESIA: A girl cries during the procedure)

As the weekend approached, a Muslim college student in London reminded his roommates about their plans to go for dawa work as part of tabligh jamaat activity. In the suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand, a Muslim family was preparing to host a birthday party for their two year old daughter, while in Los Angeles, one sister requested her relatives in the morning a (last minute plan) to have lunch the same afternoon at a park near Redondo Beach, she proposed to make chicken tandoori and requested other families to pitch in the potluck meals. Most of them liked the idea since their children could also play in the park and soak their feet in cascading waves of the beach while they all enjoyed the cool breeze from the Pacific ocean.

(www.nytimes.com. INDONESIA: Tears are wiped from the face of a 9 month old following the procedure)

Dear Brothers and Sisters by the time you read the above paragraph already one of our little Muslim sisters from the global Ummah has already been sexually mutilated against her will with the full support of her own parents and close family circle as part of compliance with the local CULTURAL values and customs.

According to UNICEF, one hundred and forty million women and girls suffered FGM thus far with three million girls a year at risk of it each year.

Holy Quran commands us to take good care of our children and also to fight against injustice. Over 140 million victims of FGM with a significant percentage of them being MUSLIM FEMALES , WHAT IS THE UMMAH CURRENTLY DOING TO PREVENT ABOVE PAINFUL ATROCITY TOWARDS ITS INNOCENT CHILDREN ? On an average, every 15 seconds one Muslim girl is being sexually mutilated somewhere in the world and guess what is our response ?

Would it help if we Muslims focus on self-purification of our own Ummah before pointing our fingers at the Non-Muslims ? Has Islam been literally polluted by toxic cultural values like FGM and should the UMMAH rise up to remove such toxins ?

HOLY QURAN:

"You are the best of people, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong and believing in God". Surah Al-Imran (3:110)

From the above verse, is it not the duty of the Muslims from the Global Ummah to forbid what is wrong - FGM ?

HADITH:
"It was narrated by Al-Nu'man Bin Basheer that Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) said:

"The similitude of the believers in their kindness, mercy, affection and compassion toward one another, is like a body, when one organ ails, the whole body is drafted to take care of the problem".

Can a single Muslim deny the excruciating pain that a little girl has to go through involuntarily during the process of FGM. Is the global Ummah compassionate on above issue and SERIOUSLY working towards eliminating the source and cause of the practice of FGM which results in multiple psychological, physical, and medical problems.

(www.nytimes.com. INDONESIA: A girl is soothed by an attendant before the procedure)

(www.nytimes.com INDONESIA: The girl who is being soothed in above photo after the procedure)

(www.nytimes.com. INDONESIA: The annual event begins and ends with prayer service)

WHAT EXACTLY IS FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION:

According to www.rho.org (REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OUTLOOK):

TYPES OF FGM:

Type I:
Removal (excision) of the clitoral hood and sometimes removal of part or all of the clitoris

Type II:
Removal of clitoris and part or all of the labia minora (inner vulva lips)

Type III:
(Infibulation) Removal of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching or narrowing of the vaginal opening leaving only a small hole for urine and menstrual flow.

Type IV:
(UNCLASSIFIED): All others including: pricking, piercing or cutting of clitoris and or labia, stretching of clitoris and or labia, burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissues, cuts in vaginal wall, scraping (angurya cuts) or cutting (gishiri cuts) of the vagina and surrounding tissues. Introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina.

Information from www.fmgnetwork.org indicates additional aspects of FGM.

DEFIBULATION OR DEINFIBULATION: – Cutting open the scar tissue that has formed around the vaginal opening to allow penetration by her husband or for the birth of a child.

REIBULATION OR REINFIBULATION: The sewing up of a circumcised woman’s vaginal opening after childbirth or periodically during her life when she feels as though her opening has gotten too big or loose.

INTROCISION: A form of FGM/C that is practiced by the Pitta-Patta aborigines of Australia where the vaginal orifice is enlarged by tearing it downward with three fingers bound with an opossum string. The procedure is performed by an elderly man when the girl reaches puberty. In other districts, the perineum is split with a stone knife. Compulsory sexual intercourse with a number of young men usually follows the introcision. Mexico, Brazil, and Peru reportedly practice this form of FGM/C. In Peru, among a division of Pano Indians, an elderly woman uses a bamboo knife to cut around the hymen from the vaginal entrance and severs the hymen from the labia, at the same time exposing the clitoris. Medicinal herbs are applied, followed by the insertion of a phallic clay object into the vagina.


IMMEDIATE PHYSICAL COMPLICATIONS OF FGM:

Hemorrhage (bleeding), wound infection, including tetanus, urine retention from pain, swelling or blockage of the urethra, shock from blood loss and intense pain, damage to adjoining organs from unskilled operation and/or use of blunt instruments and possible death.

LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF FMG:

Worsening or development of anemia, overgrowth of scar tissue, causing formation of dermoid cysts or keloids (hard ridges/bumps), abscesses, recurrent urinary tract infection, infertility (unable to have children).

IMPACT OF FGM ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND SEXUALITY:

Painful or blocked menses (periods), risk of HIV/AIDS, recurrent reproductive tract infections, difficult or impossible gynecological examination, limited contraceptive choices, painful sexual intercourse and reduced sexual fulfilment due to partial or total destruction of vulvar nerve endings. Increased risk of illness or death to mother and child due to obstructed labor, fistula formation (unnatural openings between vagina and rectum or bladder) and strain on marriage.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF FGM:

Low self esteem
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Severe depression and anxiety
Psychosomatic illnesses
Chronic physical ailments.

(www.nytimes.com: Indonesia: Female circumcisors and their attendants waiting in an elementary school classroom, where they do their work.)

(ED NOTE: The MISGUIDED sisters of Islam).

When a girl is taken — usually by her mother — to a free circumcision event held each spring in Bandung, Indonesia, she is handed over to a small group of women who, swiftly and yet with apparent affection, cut off a small piece of her genitals. Sponsored by the Assalaam Foundation, an Islamic educational and social-services organization, circumcisions take place in a prayer center or an emptied-out elementary-school classroom where desks are pushed together and covered with sheets and a pillow to serve as makeshift beds. The procedure takes several minutes. There is little blood involved. Afterward, the girl’s genital area is swabbed with the antiseptic Betadine. She is then helped back into her underwear and returned to a waiting area, where she’s given a small, celebratory gift — some fruit or a donated piece of clothing — and offered a cup of milk for refreshment.(www.nytimes.com)

(ED NOTE: International donors to ASSALAAM FOUNDATION (if they exist), can you please request above Foundation to stop such sponsorship events)

WHEN CULTURAL JUSTIFICATIONS SHOULD BE CORRECTED:

According to www.fgmnetwork.org, in various cultures: "there are many justifications for FGM. A girl who has not undergone FGM is considered "unclean" by local villagers and therefore unmarriageable. A girl who does not have her clitoris removed is considered a great danger and ultimately fatal to a man if her clitoris touches his penis."

(www.benettontalk.com: AFRICA: Instruments used for FGM)

Ms. Daff, who heads Plan International’s program against all forms of female genital mutilation in the Muslim country of Mali, stressed that it was a cultural not a religious practice. Women who have not undergone circumcision are seen as impure and dirty, Daff said. Many Malians believe that God will not listen to the prayers of an uncircumcised woman and that such a person is susceptible to witchcraft and will bring bad luck to her family and future husband, she added. (irinnews.org)

Islamic Scholars on Female Genital Mutilation

Islamic scholars disagree on FGM: some say no obligatory rules exist while others refer to the mention of female circumcision in the Hadith.

"The late rector of Al-Azhar University, Sheikh Gad al-Haq, said that since the Prophet did not ban female circumcision, it was permissible and, at the very least, could not be banned. In short, some clerics condemn FGM as an archaic practice, some accept it, and still others believe it to be obligatory. IT IS THE JOB OF CLERICS TO INTERPRET RELIGIOUS LITERATURE; IT IS NOT THE JOB OF FGM RESEARCHERS AND ACTIVISTS. There is a certain tendency to confuse a liberal interpretation of Islam with the reality women face in many predominately Islamic regions. To counter FGM as a practice, it is necessary to accept that Islam is more than just a written text. It is not the book that cuts the clitoris, but its interpretations aid and abet the mutilation".

Information from www.irinnews.org gives a snapshot of FGM in the Muslim country of Mali:

"Plan International" is trying hard to put across the message that there is nothing in the Koran or other Islamic religious texts that calls for this painful and dangerous operation which can cause huge health complications, both at the time it is performed and later in childbirth.

Alhaji Zeidi Drame, an Imam who belongs to "Islamic Action", an Association of progressive Muslim intellectuals, told IRIN that "Female circumcision has got nothing to do with religion." He described it as a hangover from more distant pagan times. "People have been practicing it since the times of Abraham and the Pharoahs," he said.

“Excision poses a problem to health and it has killed people," Drame stressed. "IT IS NECESSARY THAT IMAMS IMPRESS UPON PEOPLE THAT THIS IS AN ANCIENT TRADITION THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIGION (ISLAM)", he said. THIS IS JUST THE SORT OF MESSAGE THAT "PLAN INTERNATIONAL" WOULD LIKE MORE ISLAMIC LEADERS TO SPREAD AFTER FRIDAY PRAYERS.

(www.jlhs.nhust.k12.ca.us)

(You don't need to have a Ph.D or be a Islamic scholar to say that above injustice towards the child is DEADWRONG)

Islam is a great religion but there is lot of room for Muslims to improve upon in terms of practically implementing the gems of Islam. In many ways, the WEST unbeknownst to itself has been able to more successfully implement the basic spirit of Islam than the Muslims have been able to. The stumbling block for Muslims in implementing the true spirit of Islam is their inability to separate the cultural non-Islamic values from the pure Islamic values as indicated in the Holy Quran and Hadith. As long as the cancerous negative cultural leech is tightly intertwined with the gems of Islam and masquerades as ISLAMIC VALUE, Muslims especially the vulnerable groups of women and children will continue to be on the front line as the first victims to suffer from various forms of injustice, oppression and exploitation.

We urge all Muslims to step up to the plate and put in their two cents worth of contribution in whatever ways it may be needed. As Editors, our two cents worth of contribution is addressing this issue of FGM in this volume of VOGU -31. We humbly request and hope that your two cents worth of contribution could be in terms of forwarding below PETITION to as many Muslims as possible worldwide. We appeal to all Muslims not to ignore this serious issue and to brainstorm, discuss, explore all possible solution-oriented options to combat FGM.

Would it be practical for the leading world Islamic scholars to address this issue jointly and issue a FATWA against FGM ? Probably not ?

DID YOU KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY, IF THIS SCROUGE IS NOT REMOVED FROM THE PRACTICE OF OUR MUSLIMS, THOUSANDS OF OUR LITTLE MUSLIM SISTERS WILL BE FORCIBLY SEXUALLY TORTURED IN THE FORM OF FGM ? Is the global Ummah disenfranchised and too powerless to do anything about this gross human right violation ?

We genuinely appreciate the concerns and prayers that Imams and Islamic Scholars frequently express in their Friday speeches for our brothers and sisters in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechnya et.c. May we respectfully suggest that they not only express concerns but also emphatically condemn the practice of FGM that is taking a toll on millions of our Muslim female children. Appeals should be made at all levels to completely eliminate FGM and as Muslims of the GLOBAL UMMAH, we should express ZERO TOLERANCE to FGM.

We acknowledge that this issue is much more complex and is not simple as it sounds and that some progress towards achieving above goal has been made. But we believe that the progress is minimal, if not every 15 seconds, one of our Muslim child would not have to face such a barbaric act. Further even if the issue is complex, should such complexity gag us to remain silent or should we take it as a challenge and move forward ?

PLEASE TELL US HONESTLY WHETHER YOU FEEL THAT CURRENTLY THERE IS ANY INTENTION AT ALL BY THE GLOBAL UMMAH TO SERIOUSLY WORK ON ENDING THIS HORRIBLE PRACTICE ? IF YOUR ANSWER IS NO, MAY WE ASK WHY ?

IT IS OUR OPINION THE GLOBAL UMMAH HAS DONE A BETTER JOB IN ADVOCATING FOR POLITICAL INJUSTICES AGAINST MUSLIMS WORLDWIDE BUT THERE IS TREMENDOUS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING SOCIAL INJUSTICE ISSUES SUCH AS FGM AND HONOR KILLINGS ET.C.

WHEN THE PROBLEM OF FGM IS NOT EVEN ADDRESSED AT MOSQUES AND ISLAMIC CIRCLES, THE QUESTION OF FORMULATING A FEASIBLE WORKABLE PLAN TO ELIMINATE IT DOES NOT EVEN ARISE. What this means is that under the watchful eye of the global UMMAH millions of muslim female children will continue to be traumatized physically, sexually and emotionally.

We believe that the majority of the Global Ummah still have not grasped the seriousness of such a socially sanctioned "crime" against the female children of our Ummah.

As Editors of this VOGU, we humbly appeal to you to forward this E-Mail to as many people as possible and let the global Ummah brainstorm on this matter. It needs team effort at grass root level, NGO level, aggressive involvement of IMAMS, social workers, health care professionals, Government et.c. If you already know of other Muslim entities working on above goal, please let us know. We would love to co-ordinate with them.

PETITION:

"WE THE MUSLIMS OF THE GLOBAL UMMAH unequivocally condemn the practice of Female Genital Mutilation in all its . We urge the World Muslim League, Islamic Government & Non-government Organizations, Islamic Centers & Islamic Organizations and Imams to appeal to one and all to help in ending this horrible practice and injustice to female children.

WE THE GLOBAL UMMAH WILL IN OUR OWN PRACTICAL WAYS WORK ON ENDING THE PRACTICE OF FGM. We urge all Imams and Islamic scholars to highlight above ignored issue in their speeches and strongly condemn FGM as atrocious and barbaric and take whatever action is needed to eliminate this practice.

WE THE GLOBAL UMMAH respectfully call for ZERO tolerance approach in combating above basic human right violation and will actively work in all possible ways to end this practice.

WE THE GLOBAL UMMAH will be more than happy to extend our hand of co-operation with staff from all religions and regional, state, national and global agencies to work as a team on eradicating FGM. Everybody is welcome to give additional suggestions to achieve above goal and let's move forward to gain greater support from the global Ummah with this petition being the first small baby step.

Above petition is just a foundation, feel free to modify as you please and continue forwarding it and if possible work towards contributing to acheive above goal in your own unique way in your local area. This petition is not about you or me, it is about the female child who suffers such great injustice. Remember one Muslim female every 15 seconds is a victim of this local and culturally sanctioned "CRIME".

Feel free to e-mail us with your valuable feedback on such an important issue at info@mehrunyusuficds.com.