VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Vol 32, June 15, 2008
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
Editors: Mohamed and Rashida Ziauddin
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful
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.
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)
(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
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
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
No comments:
Post a Comment