VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 208, November 06, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

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

EDITORIAL NOTE:

In this E-Zine, we have started off with highlighting positive news, followed by interfaith relations, Islam in Europe, Extremism and the issue of discrimination.

PART I

POSITIVE NEWS:

ED NOTE:

Below video is a very touching video. To see the deepest respect our loving Muslim brothers and sisters in Chechnya have given to receive a bowl that our Prophet Mohamed (SAW) once used is breathtaking. Looking at below video, for a short moment we were almost in a trance, trying to visualize how 1400 plus years ago, the same bowl was used by the greatest human being ever to live on Earth. At the end of the video, while tears welled up in our own eyes, co-incidentally, we observed that even the President of Chechnya who had taken the bowl in his hands, kissed it and then he broke down crying.

While it may mean nothing to non-believers, for Muslims who love our Prophet to death, IT MEANT EVERYTHING. To all those Chechyans that came to the event, we send our flying kisses. LONG LIVE ISLAM. If anti-islamists think that they could eliminate 1.2 billion Muslims concentrated in 57 Muslim countries and spread across the globe, they could continue dreaming. Islam is currently the fastest growing religion in the world and nobody can stop it. All the trash talk against Islam is only going to strengthen our conviction and make us stronger Muslims and we deeply feel sorry that the anti-islamists are wasting their time when they could be using their time productively for their own betterment elsewhere.

However one common platform that we could work together is to root out our common enemy - the criminals/extremists who are the cancer of GLOBAL UMMAH and who have no qualms in killing innocent men, women and children and who have perverted the teachings of Islam which stands for TOLERANCE, PEACE AND JUSTICE.

PART I-a

GROZNY: PROPHET MUHAMMAD'S BOWL DELIVERED FOR ETERNAL STORAGE
September 22, 2011

(full video) Via Interfax:

A bowl said to have once been used by the Prophet Muhammad has been delivered to the Chechen capital of Grozny from Britain. Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechen government members, and representatives of the Chechen Muslim Authority were meeting the relic at the Grozny airport. A live chain of students, school children, and clerics was formed from the airport to the Chechnya's Hearth Mosque. After the bowl was delivered to the mosque, a collective prayer was conducted there.

PART I-b

LEUVEN: MUSLIM STUDENTS OPEN COLLEGE ACADEMIC YEAR
October 6, 2011

Via HLN (Dutch, h/t NRP):

Two Muslim students in headscarves, opened the academic session at the Group T engineering college in Leuven with a prayer. "Kamila and Manan are, with so many others, a symbol of the plurality of our worldviews," says the international college, who is part of the K.U.Leuven. Group T's teacher training is the only one in Flanders in which students can choose between five different religious subjects: Catholic, non-confessional ethics, Buddhism, Islam and starting this year also Protestantism. Group T says that a plurality coordinators is responsible for an intense dialog between these life-views.

PART II

INTERFAITH NEWS:

AUSTRIA

VIENNA: SAUDI ARABIA TO SET UP INTER-RELIGIOUS CENTRE

October 16, 2011
(condensed version)

Via the Austrian Times:

Foreign Ministers Prince Saud al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Michael Spindelegger of Austria and Trinidad Jimenez of Spain, from left, pose after signing the agreement for the establishment of the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, KAICID, in Vienna, Austria, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)

Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger and high-ranking representatives from Spain and Saudi Arabia signed a contract sealing their intention to create such an institution in Vienna.

The Austrian Initiative of Liberal Muslims (ILMÖ) said it feared integration would become more difficult for Muslims in Austria as the centre may strengthen "fundamentalist-conservative Islam" in the country. Fuat Sanac, the new head of the Austrian Islamic Denomination (IGGiÖ), said he welcomed the idea to locate such a centre in Vienna. Sanac said: "What’s wrong with starting a dialogue among different peoples?" The Turk claimed the establishment of the institution could improve the situation of Christians in Saudi Arabia.

PART III

ISLAM IN EUROPE

PART III-a

SCOTLAND:
HALAL HAIRDRESSER

Via the Herald:

With its frosted windows, CCTV cameras, and tightly monitored security entrance, it is going to be one of Aberdeen’s most secretive business enterprises. So, you could be forgiven for wondering if the shop has something to hide. Well, it does – its customers. Or rather it is the customers who want to remain hidden. For this is Scotland’s first ‘halal hairdressers’ – a beauty salon which conforms to the strict rules of Islam; a place were Muslim women who wear the veil or headscarf can be seen uncovered without the risk of the gaze of men.

Discreet Creative Hairdressing, scheduled to open in three weeks, is the brainchild of 21-year-old Mahida Iqbal and her husband of nine months, Fueb Mieh.

The salon will be a ‘man-free zone’.

The frosted windows will stop any inquisitive men passing by from gawping at the clients. No-one can get in without passing through a secure buzzer entry system with CCTV. All this means that the Muslim ladies who have come for a new hair-do can remove their headscarves safe in the knowledge that only other women can see them.

Iqbal hit on the idea when she began wearing the headscarf for the first time last year, although she credits her husband – a fellow entrepreneur who runs Indian takeaways – for coming up with the proposal. While there are other salons in Scotland which offer a ladies-only service, Iqbal wants to offer something geared to the needs of the Muslim community. She said: “There are hair salons in Glasgow that are ladies-only, but not like our salon.

Our salon is completely discreet, completely hidden from the public, from men, whereas the salons there, men still walk past and they can still see in or come in. Ours has a buzzer entry system, and we’ve got CCTV so that we can see who’s actually approaching the door.

PART III-b

FRANCE:

VEILED WOMAN ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL BID

Via AP

A Frenchwoman who wears an Islamic face veil, despite a nationwide ban, wants to run for president in next year's elections.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Kenza Drider said she wants to defend the rights of all French women.

She is among a group of women mounting an attack on the law that has banned Muslim face veils from the streets of France since April. They want to prove the measure contravenes fundamental rights.

PART IV

EXTREMISM:

PART IV-a

DENMARK:
JEWISH WOMAN ATTACKED BY BOY WHO'S BEEN TOLD TO "KILL ALL JEWS":
October 14, 2011

(The Jewish Cemetery in Copenhagen)

The report doesn't state the religion of the attackers, but Danish authorities have been concerned for a long time about the effects of antisemitic Arab satellite TV on Muslim-Danish kids.

Via Danish Police (h/t Uriasposten):

A 21-year old Jewish woman was overseeing the Jewish cemetery in the Nørrebro district of Copenhagen this past Sunday when two young boys of foreign origin, about 13 years old, approached and asked what the place was. She answered it was a Jewish cemetery. One of the boys asked whether she was Jewish, to which she answered in the affirmative. At this point he pulled out a corkscrew and threatened her, saying he'd been told he should kill all Jews. The other boy told him to stop. Both boys then ran off.

PART IV-b

SERBIA:
17 ARRESTED AFTER ATTACK ON US EMBASSY IN BOSNIA:
October 30, 2011

Via AFP:

(shooter Mevlid Jasarevic)

Serbian police on Saturday said they had arrested 17 people in the southwestern Muslim-dominated district of Sandzak, on suspicion of links to an Islamic extremist who opened fire on the US embassy in Sarajevo. "Police detained 17 persons suspected of being members of the radical Wahhabi movement and having close links with Mevlid Jasarevic," the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Wahhabism is a strict and ultra-conservative branch of Islam which is dominant in Saudi Arabia. The suspected radical Islamist Jasarevic, a Serbian national from Novi Pazar, was wounded and arrested after opening fire Friday on the US embassy in Sarajevo. A police guard was wounded in the attack.

PART V

DISCRIMINATION:

SPAIN

MADRID: GIRL KICKED OUT OF EXAM FOR WEARING HEADSCARF:
October 09, 2011

Girl kicked out of exam for wearing headscarf The teacher refused (ES) to let her take the test since her headscarf covered her ears, which could be used to cheat as it could hide electronic equipment.

Via Bikya Masr (h/t Islamophobia Watch):

A 14-year-old Muslim girl in Spain was kicked out of an exam in her Madrid secondary school after she refused to take off her headscarf, local Spanish newspaper 20 Minutos reported on Tuesday night. Eivan Khemins Eibar, the girl’s lawyer and a specialist on discrimination cases, sent a report to the school manager saying the student did not do anything wrong in wearing the hijab.

THE END

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 207, October 31, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

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

ED NOTE:

In this E-Zine we have started out with the positives, followed by Islam in Europe and concluded by touching on the issue of Extremism.

PART I
POSITIVE NEWS:

PART I-a

(ED NOTE:
We are glad that FINALLY the Greek Parliament has approved Mosque Plans. We believe that it was long overdue and were awaiting that auspicious day when we could hear below good news. Finally the time has come)

GREECE
ATHENS: PARLIAMENT APPROVES MOSQUE PLANS
September 08, 2011
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Via al-Arabiya:

(An extreme right wing party poster, which reads ‘Mosque in Athens: Nowhere and Never,’ in front of Muslims attending outdoor prayers at Attiki square in Athens)

Greece’s parliament on Wednesday approved the construction of a new mosque in Athens to satisfy a long-standing demand by thousands of Muslim residents, a government source said.

The project to build the Greek capital’s first official Muslim place of worship in decades was supported by 198 deputies from the centre, right and left (out of 300) against the objections of 16 nationalist MPs.

The mosque plan was included in an environment ministry bill regulating illegal construction, another long-running concern in Greece.

It calls for the renovation of an existing state building -- a disused military base -- in the run-down Athens industrial district of Elaionas.

PART I-b

(ED NOTE:

East lancashire Mosque should be a role model for other mosques to emulate in terms of giving donations for worthy causes to the best of their ability. We believe it is a step in the right direction).

UNITED KINGDOM:

EAST LANCASHIRE MOSQUE DONATES £47K TO LOCAL HOSPITALS
September 23, 2011
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Via the Blackburn Citizen:

MEMBERS of an East Lancashire mosque has donated £47,000 to provide home comforts for patients at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital.

Blackburn peer Lord Adam Patel and representatives from Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam mosque in Bicknell Street met health bosses to present the gift this week to the hospitals’ charitable fund.

It is used to improve equipment for patient areas, and pay for additional patient “comforts and amenities”, outside of what the NHS normally provides.

Speaking to health chiefs during a presentation event, Lord Patel said: “At Bicknell Street mosque we have always taken part in charity work.

“When the hospital needed a new MRI scanner we contributed generously, there was a need in the eye department and we also donated there and throughout the world we are collecting handsome money for charities in Pakistan and India and to people who are suffering in Africa.

“We have collected this money for this particular purpose for East Lancashire Hospitals to contribute something back.

“We want to prove ourselves as good citizens. We need to work together because this is our hospital and this is for the East Lancashire community.

PART II

ISLAM IN EUROPE

PART II-a

TATARSTAN:
CONTROVERSY OVER MUSLIM FESTIVAL AWARD TO FORMER PORN STAR
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Oct 12, 2011

Via RT:

The 7th Muslim Film Festival that took place in the Russian city of Kazan in September has ended in a sex scandal. The issue related to a former porn actress who was awarded at the festival.

Rewarding of German actress with Turkish roots Sibel Kekilli known for criticizing Islam and having starred in several porn films in the past caused major disappointment in the Islamic community. The scandal emerged at the suggestion of the Tatarstan Muslims spiritual leader Ildus Faizov.

The local Culture Ministry, represented by Deputy Minister Guzel Nigmatullina, stated that the representatives of the Islamic Council of the Republic under Ildus Faizov himself consulted the selective committee of the festival on religious matters.

PART II-b

ALBANIA:
BIKINIS AND HIJABS CONTRAST ON "BURQA BEACH"
September 23, 2011
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Via AFP:

September has seen devout Muslims again flocking to Albania's only "burqa beach" after the Ramadan holy month, where women bathe in full hijab -- a short distance from the "other" Albania where girls romp in scanty bikinis.

The contrast is not to every one's liking but is a testament to Albania's centuries-old tradition of religious tolerance, which even survived nearly half a century of a communist rule that tried to stamp out all religion.

About two-thirds of this Mediterranean state's 3.2 million residents are Muslim. Much of the rest is Christian -- both Orthodox and Catholic -- and co-habitation among the different faiths is the norm in EU-hopeful Albania.

"To each their own," said Selim, a Muslim who gave only his first name.

But "why do some people think that showing off their buttocks is a sign of civilization and freedom, while protecting one's body from other people's glances is an expression of underdevelopment?" he asked.

PART III

EXTREMISM:

PART III-a

(ED NOTE:
How sad that the extremists have won a small victory by making insults and threats to a Mayor's family (for his positive comments on immigrants) and in the process caused him to resign)

SWITZERLAND:
MAYOR RESIGNS OVER THREATS AFTER PRAISING IMMIGRATION
October 7, 2011
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Via the Local:

The mayor of a small town in northern Switzerland has left office after positive comments he made about immigrants were met with insults and threats directed at his family.

Josef Bütler, the mayor of Spreitenbach, made the decision after he discovered that defending the integration of immigrants in Switzerland can turn into a nightmare. More than half of the town's 11,000 inhabitants are of foreign origin.

On August 24th, Bütler participated on the TV show Schweiz Aktuell. Asked about the high proportion of foreigners in Spreitenbach, the Christian Democract praised the coexistence of Swiss and foreigners and said that for him immigration represented a “challenging enrichment.”

PART III-B

CATALONIA:
MUSLIMS ACCUSED OF DOG-POISONING
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Via Hudson New York:

Spanish authorities are investigating the recent deaths by poisoning of more than a dozen dogs in Lérida, a city in the northeastern region of Catalonia that has become ground zero in an intensifying debate over the role of Islam in Spain.

All of the dogs were poisoned in September (local media reports here, here, here, here and here) in Lérida's working class neighbourhoods of Cappont and La Bordeta, districts that are heavily populated by Muslim immigrants and where many dogs have been killed in recent years.

Local residents say Muslim immigrants killed the dogs because according to Islamic teaching dogs are "unclean" animals.

THE END

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 206, October 23, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

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


(www.xeniagreekmuslimah.blogspot.com)

ED NOTE:

In this issue we have started off highlighting the positive news, followed by news relating to interfaith relations, Islam in Europe and extremism.

PART - I

POSITIVE NEWS:

PART I-a

UNITED KINGDOM:
FIRST FREE SCHOOL FOR MUSLIMS GETS THE GO-AHEAD
September 19, 2011

Via the Daily Mail:

First free school for Muslims gets the go-ahead amid fears over 'segregated schooling'

The first free school for Muslims in the country will open in Blackburn, Lancashire, next year. The business case for Tauheedul Islam Boys' School in Darwen has been approved by the Government. But opponents have described the decision as 'extremely bad news' for community cohesion and claim it will deprive state schools of vital funds.

PART I-b

(ED NOTE: We appreciate below initiative taken in Sweden for the Police to learn Arabic and Muslim culture. It will be a positive step in communication with the large Muslim population in Malmo.)

SWEDEN:
MALMO: POLICE TO LEARN ARABIC, MUSLIM CULTURE
September 5, 2011


Via the Local:

Police who patrol Malmö's Rosengård district are being offered a special Arabic language class to help them better understand and communicate with local residents in the predominantly immigrant area.

So far 45 officers have signed up for voluntary twelve-week class, which will provide training on a number of common greetings and pleasantries in Arabic, the local Skånska Dagbladet newspaper reports.

“It's about dealing with immigrants in a more dignified and little more civil manner,” local police chief Bengt Hersler told the newspaper.

PART II:

INTERFAITH RELATIONS:

PART II-a

NETHERLANDS:
JEWS AND MUSLIMS JOIN FORCES TO DEFEND RITUAL SLAUGHTER

Via RNW:

Dutch Jews and Muslims have joined forces in their fight against a bill banning ritual slaughter.

The Lower House of parliament has already approved the bill, which will be debated in the Senate on Tuesday.

The initiative for the Jewish-Muslim platform was taken by Ibrahim Wijbinga, Chair of the umbrella organisation of Islamic undertakers, and Rabbi Lody van der Kamp.

The Jewish-Islamic platform wants to defend shared religious values and promote dialogue between Judaism and Islam.

PART II-b

(ED NOTE:

When we talk about peace, we need to realize that there are millions of people of other religions and cultures and we need to truly practice Islam for what it really stands for - TOLERANCE. Part of such tolerance is being more accepting of people of other faiths. They are not asking you to change your faith and join them, all they ask is to respect their faith as you would like them to respect your faith. Practicing tolerance is one of the easier attributes to follow and we all should sincerely strive to exercise more tolerance towards people of other faiths. Below article gives both the Muslims and Jews a common platform to work together and take a common stand against extremists who are working against both Jews and Muslims).

SWEDEN: JEWS, MUSLIMS FACE SIGNIFICANT DISCRIMINATION
August 22, 2011
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Via the Local:

The number of xenophobic web sites have almost doubled since 2007 and Jews and Muslims wearing apparent religious symbols are subjected to significant discrimination in Sweden today, according to a new report from the Living History Forum (Forum för levande historia). “Sweden as a whole is a tolerant country but this report shows that racism is growing and is being professionalized on the internet. There is today a small but growing minority that harbour hatred against Muslims and Jews,” minister for integration, Erik Ullenhag, wrote in a statement on Monday.

According to the report, these are characterized by anti-Semitic and Islamophobic views, where conspiracy theories are the most recurring elements. The Jewish group is often cast as world conspirators whereas the Muslim group is seen as physical occupiers, actively are on their way to taking over society through mass-immigration and rising nativity figures.

PART II-C

GERMANY:
POPE MEETS WITH MUSLIM LEADERS, EMPHASIZES COMMON VALUES

Via M&C:

Pope Benedict XVI on Friday emphasized the similarities between values held by Christians and Muslims during a meeting with Muslim leaders in Berlin and said they should work together to build a better world.

'We can offer an important witness in many key areas of life in society,' the pope told a gathering of 15 Muslim representatives from Islamic associations and charities and Islam teachers.

'I am thinking, for example, of the protection of the family based on marriage, respect for life in every phase of its natural course or the promotion of greater social justice.'

Those present included the head of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, Aiman Mazyek, as well as members of the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB).

PART III

ISLAM IN EUROPE:

PART III-a

RUSSIA:
MOSCOW: CITY'S OLDEST MOSQUE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR NEW MOSQUE

Via RFE/RL:

Moscow authorities have demolished the Central Mosque, the Russian capital's oldest, RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service reports.

The mosque on Moscow's Vypolzovy Street was built in 1904 on the initiative and with the financial support of Tatar businessman Salikh Yerzin. It was torn down on September 11.

Rushan Abbasov, the head of the Central Mosque's communications department, told RFE/RL the building was demolished after it became clear that deep cracks in its walls made it unsafe.

He said the mosque will be replaced by a new and much-larger building, which is badly needed by Moscow's growing Muslim population.

The Central Mosque was the residence of Ravil Gainutdin, the chairman of Russia's Council of Muftis, who is also the mosque's imam.

Gainutdin supported the building's demolition, saying it would free the space to build a larger Islamic center.

Meanwhile, the leader of an unofficial Islamic congregation in Moscow, Albir Krganov, said the destruction of the historic building is a barbaric act that will lead to the de-Tatarization of Moscow's Muslim community.

PART III-b

ALBANIA
(www.theprovince.com)

ALBANIA MUSLIMS PROTEST OVER NUDE EXHIBITION NEAR MOSQUE

Agence France-Presse
August 3, 2011

TIRANA - Muslims in an Albanian coastal town have protested against the opening of an exhibition of nude photographs and sculptures in a gallery a few metres from the local mosque, media reported Wednesday.

"This exhibition is unacceptable. It should not be opened next to the mosque of the town" of Durres, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) northeast of the capital Tirana, local mufti Redi Quku was quoted by media as saying.

Quku said the opening of the exhibition of works by Albanian artist Mustafa Biduli was offensive to Muslims, in particular as the show takes place during the holy month of Ramadan.

The local Muslim community has said it will file a complaint against local authorities who have "severely provoked believers" with the exhibition.

Most of Albania's population are Muslims, but the country also has a significant Christian minorities, both Orthodox and Catholic.

PART III-c

ITALY:
ISLAM EXPO PLANNED FOR DECEMBER CALLED A PROVOCATION
August 25, 2011

Via La Repubblica, il Resto del Carlino (Italian):

The Young Muslims of Italy organization announced its Islam Expo will be held in December in Bologna. The Northern League says this is a provocation. Manes Bernardini of the Northern League asked the Bologne municipality not to approve the expo, and in any case, not to partner with it. Bernardini added that he wouldn't do such a thing in a Muslim country, and that that having the expo might lead to requests to remove the Christmas tree in the nearby square.

Yassine Lafram of the Young Muslims of Italy says that the expo is not a provocation against the Catholic Church, and that Christmas time was chosen because people are on holiday, and it would allow more people to come. He said that the event is not only for Muslims and that everybody is invited to come.

Lafram compared the expo to the Festa de l'Unità and said it will be a gathering of young people from all over Italy who will come to discuss and affect integration. The expo will offer discussions on the situation of Muslims, how they should behave and integrate and what added value they bring.

PART IV

EXTREMISM RAISES ITS UGLY HEAD AGAIN:

PART IV-a

FRANCE:
RACIST SLOGANS FOUND ON MUSLIM GRAVES IN FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY
September 18, 2011

By RFI

(PHOTO)The battlements of Carcassonne's medieval old town
Tony Cross

About 30 Muslim graves have been desecrated in Carcassone, south-west France. A legal inquiry has been launched to find the perpetrators and punish them.

PART IV-b

FRANCE:
TWO FINED FOR INCITING ANTISEMITISM IN McDONALD'S
September 25, 2011

Via AFP (French):

Two members of the radical Islamic group "Forsane Alizza" were convicted of "inciting racial hatred' by a court in Limoges for organizing an invasion into a McDonald's branch in 2010, and haranguing the crowd with antisemitic statements. Nassir Mokhtari (27) and Boumediene Nebah (31) were found guilty of "inciting to national, racial, religious discrimination in speech, writing, picture or electronic means of communication to the public".

They were sentenced to 800 euro and 1500 euro respectively. On June 12, 2010, the two men organized on the Internet an invasion of the McDonald's restaurant in Limoges, where they distributed leaflets. A dozen people, most of whom masked their faces, harangued the consumers to stop eating in the chain, which they said financed the Israeli army.

A video of this event was later posted on the Internet. In addition the leader of Forsane Alizza ('Knights of Pride'), Mohamed Achamlane from Nantes (nicknamed 'Brain' on the Internet), will appear in court for a hearing on Sept. 27 for inciting discrimination and racial and religious hatred. He's accused of hate speech and of inciting to burn the penal code during a demonstration Sept 17, 2010. The hearing was scheduled for June 8th, but was postponed due to several minor incidents. The defendants and their supporters refused to remove their headgear inside the courthouse.

THE END

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 205, October 16, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICENT AND THE MOST MERCIFUL

ED NOTE:

In this E-Zine, we have first highlighted the positive news followed by important issues pertaining to Islam in Europe and concluded by news related to Extremism.

(www.xeniagreekmuslimah.wordpress.com)

POSITIVE NEWS:

Part I-a

GERMANY: FORGING A EUROPEAN BRAND OF ISLAM
August 8, 2011

Via WSJ:

Germany's government is granting five of its public universities up to €4 million ($5.7 million) each to develop Islamic theology programs. The Osnabrück experiment, the first German university course of its kind, has gained a great deal of attention. During a recent class, news cameras and reporters circled the students, men dressed neatly in suit jackets and a single row of head-scarfed women.

Among the seminar's revelations for Selman Yavuz, who leads a small Muslim congregation in western Germany, was that according to a Roman Catholic doctrine, the church holds Muslims in "esteem." "Many of us didn't know that they believe such good things about us," said Mr. Yavuz, 32 years old. "It changes your thinking."

In Germany, the program is widely regarded as a paradigm-shifting if belated acknowledgment that Islam is now a permanent part of German life.

But broader acceptance of the university programs by Germany's Muslims—who have roots in different countries and varying religious interpretations—is by no means certain.

One challenge is that nearly 90% of the nation's imams come from abroad, particularly Turkey, and many promote an Islam that is "oriented to Turkey," said Rauf Ceylan, professor of religious sciences at the University of Osnabrück, and therefore "disturb the integration process."

PART I-b:

(ED NOTE:

Below initiative taken by CAIR - Cincinnati is a very positive step. We wish many more Muslim organizations step up to the plate and take similar initiatives to reach out to the community in various ways).

CAIR (Council of American-Islamic Relations) :
Cincinnati Muslims Provide School Supplies for Low Income Students
August 18, 2011
(www.cair.com)

(CINCINNATI, OH, 8/18/11)

The Cincinnati office of Council on American-Islamic Relations-Ohio (CAIR-OH) yesterday delivered school supplies to several hundred students at a local elementary school through a national “School Supplies for Students” effort.

“School Supplies for Students,” is part of the national “MUSLIMS CARE" project that will benefit the 450 students attending Hays-Porter Elementary School in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood by providing school supplies for the whole year.

After the Muslim community representatives presented the donation to students, teachers and staff, they received handmade cards from the students as an expression of gratitude.

"This project makes a big difference for both the children and the teachers,” said CAIR-Cincinnati Executive Director Karen Dabdoub. “Last year, the school standardized test rates improved and the school is now rated as “Continuous Improvement” when it had previously been rated as “Academic Emergency”. The school staff said this contribution goes a long way in encouraging the students and giving them pride in their school and in their work.”

The supplies delivered included pens and pencils, notebooks and paper, folders, crayons, pencil sharpeners, and other classroom items.

This project is one of many by Cincinnati area Muslims to increase contributions to and improve our society.

PART II

ISLAM IN EUROPE:

PART II-a

GREECE: SHARIAH LAW TO BE ABOLISHED
August 22, 2011

Via the Greek Reporter (h/t europenews):

According to an article of the Greek newspaper “Eleftherotypia”, under the scope of reforms in the Greek Family Law, the Shariah will be abolished for Greek Muslims.

This Muslim law establishes among others the right of polygamy and gives only to men the right to divorce their wives which constitutes a problem for the women in Thraki, Northern Greece. Even in Turkey, this law was abolished in 1926.

PART II-b

SWITZERLAND:

MUSLIMS DENOUNCE ISLAMOPHOBIA WITH YELLOW BADGE
August 18, 2011
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

e

Via Philosemitism:

A Muslim radical group has launched a poster campaign to denounce rampant islamophobia is Switzerland.

The campaign is also approved by moderate Muslims. "It is true that as Muslims we feel we have become the new scapegoats", says Lucia Dahlab, vice-President of the Union of Muslim Organizations in Geneva.

PART II-C

(ED NOTE:

It is really unfortunate that our own Muslim brothers and sisters in below article supported the ban on Burka. As indicated in the past, we have a problem with anyone trying to impose their values and personal preferences on others specially when it pertains to the dress.

To those leaders of the Italian Muslim Community who stated that "The approval of a Italian draft law to ban the burka is a victory for women's rights", we ask them as to which "women" they are talking about ?

Definitely not the women who are wearing the Burka.

The very fact that certain Muslim women on their own "FREE-WILL" choose to wear the Burkha IS AN ACT OF EXERCISING THEIR INDIVIDUAL RIGHT TO WEAR WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO WEAR. Now by trying to pass a law to TAKE AWAY THEIR INDIVIDUAL RIGHT TO WEAR A DRESS OF THEIR CHOICE, and then turn around and say that it is a VICTORY FOR WOMEN'S RIGHT ? Is this a joke ?

Let's say the truth as it is (we realize that truth at times can be bitter): SUCH A DRAFT LAW IS A DEFEAT (not victory) FOR THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN WHO PREFER TO WEAR A BURKA ON THEIR OWN FREE WILL.

Needless to say we vehemently oppose those who try to force women to wear the Burka. We already had enough problems with the Taliban in Afghanistan passing laws to enforce what women should wear and what they cannot wear. PLEASE DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR FOOTSTEPS. In conclusion, please leave the adult women alone and respect their independence in terms of making their personal choice. They need neither your help nor your suggestions as to what to wear or not to wear. As adults, they are capable of making such a decision on their own).

ITALY:
MODERATE MUSLIMS CHEER DRAFT LAW BANNING "WOMEN-SEGREGATING" BURKA
August 3, 2011
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Rome, 3 Aug. (AKI) - The approval of a Italian draft law to ban the burka is a victory for women's rights, according to some leaders of Italy's Muslim community.

"We learned of the news with great pleasure," said Gamal Bouchaib and Ahmed Bashir of advocacy group Moderate Muslims in Italy and Mustapha Mansouri, member of the Interior Ministry's Committee for Islam, an advisory group, in a joint statement.

The draft law passed by a parliamentary committee on Tuesday would prohibit the wearing of a burka, niqab or any head wear which covers the face. It has the backing of prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's government and is due to face a parliamentary vote when politicians return from their summer break.

Similar bans have been passed in France and Belgium

"We're ready to demonstrate in the streets to defend this law for the freedom of all women," that statement said, stressing that rules that force women to don the burka are hypocritical and a violation of women's rights. "We don't take lessons from anyone...that segregates and hides the existence of women." the statement said.

About 1 million Muslims live in Italy.

PART II-d

(ED NOTE:

We applaud below initiative taken by Muslims who have started a petition for tolerance. We support their belief that "those in favour of a multi-cultural society, particularly those with a Muslim background need to be mobilised in defence of a peaceful and culturally diverse society. We join the forces that have condemned the verbal and physical attack on the Belgo-Morrocan couple. We have the same problem as we mentioned in above article, when anybody tries to impose their values on others and what is more troubling in below article is that they have resorted to uncalled for verbal and physical attack on the couple. We would argue that if Islam truly stands for tolerance, the miscreants who perpetrated the aggressive act against the couple really did an anti-Islamic act).

BELGIUM:
MUSLIMS START PETITION FOR TOLERANCE
August 14, 2011

Via VRT:

An association that brings together progressive Muslims has launched a petition in defence of multi-culturalism in society. The petition calls for greater tolerance and more openness and has come about after a Belgo-Moroccan couple suffered verbal abuse and physical abuse at the hands of Muslim youths.

The Francophone Muslim organisation ‘Musulmans Progressistes’ launched the petition to show its disdain at the verbal and physical abuse suffered by the couple.

The organisation believes that “those in favour of a multi-cultural society, particularly those with a Muslim background need to be mobilised in defence of a peaceful and culturally diverse society.”

PART III

THE UGLY HEAD OF EXTREMISM RAISES ITSELF AGAIN:

PART III-A

MUSLIMS CALLED 'ENEMY' AT HEARING ON MINNESOTA ISLAMIC CENTER

PLYMOUTH, Minn. (WCCO)
An Islamic Community Center is one step closer to moving into a Plymouth neighborhood, but not everyone in town is happy about it.

A downtown Plymouth post office doesn't use most of the space in their building and it's for sale. So, the Northwest Islamic Community Center made an offer to buy it.

That move brought a rare crowd into the Plymouth Planning Commission meeting Wednesday night.

It's because the Islamic group would like to share the building with the post office, leasing it back for rent, which means prayer services and postal services would be in the same building.

During a public hearing on whether the building should be used for religious purposes, citizens sent strong messages -- on both sides.

"Aiding the enemy is treason," said one man opposed to the center.

PART III-B

NORWAY:
PROGRESS PARTY LEADER APOLOGIZES FOR SAYING MUSLIMS NEED PSYCHIATRIC HELP
August 18, 2011
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Via the Foreigner:

In a week when Progress Party has been put under scrutiny due to Carl I. Hagen’s “most terrorists are Muslims” comments, FrP are dealing with more criticism today.

It has been revealed that Trond Røed, respected leader of the Buskerud region, was forced to apologise after admitting to send out an eleven-page document to almost 100 party members in 2004.

Contained in it are suggestions that people who follow Islam must be “deprogrammed” using psychiatric help , as well as arguments for imposing a veto on further preaching of their faith.

THE END

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 204, October 9, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICENT AND THE MOST MERCIFUL

(www.xeniagreekmuslimah.wordpress.com)

ED NOTE:

We have started out this E-Zine by highlighting the positive news followed by interfaith news and then mental health. We have dedicated this issue of E-Zine primarily to the topic of Mental Health. People across the world from all nationalities, religions and cultures have medical illnesses and it is in most cases (except HIV and a few more) accepted as a norm to seek treatment without any stigma or ostracism attached to it.

However the same cannot be said of mental illness. Although we are in this "enlightened" 21st century, the stigma and negativity attached to mental illness is severe enough for many to restrict seeking treatment. Thus millions of people including the Muslims continue to suffer from the debilitating affects of mental illness.

What can we as Muslims do to help our fellow Muslims at a local level who may be suffering from extreme emotional distress ?

Are there any Muslim support groups for people with history of Major Depression, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Substance Abuse et.c. ?

Research studies have shown that for people with strong religious values, emotional support from their congregation is of help. In some facilities, spiritual support is listed as one of the treatment intervention.

Specially for immigrant Muslims who have settled in a new country, what innovative strategies can the Ummah through their professionals at the local and national level come up with, that strikes a healthy balance in terms of maintaining one's Islamic identity while at the same time be a MODEL CITIZEN integrating in the adopted country for permanent settlement ?

The whole issue is a complex issue and we readily acknowledge that we have barely touched the tip of the iceberg while discussing this issue of Mental Illness in context of the Global Ummah by addressing the Turkish Muslims in both Germany and Switzerland as a case study.

PART I

POSITIVE NEWS:

PART I-a

FRANCE:

100-150 MOSQUES IN PROGRESS

August 4, 2011

Via AFP (French):

100-150 mosques are currently being built in France, the president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith, Mohammed Moussaoui, told RTL. Moussaoui said that most are financed by the worshipers and very few from abroad. The interior minister, Claude Guéant, said three months ago that in the past decade the number of mosques increased from 1000 to 2000. Guéant wants to stop Friday prayers in the streets.

According to Moussaoui, 17-23% of French Muslims go to Friday prayers, which he says distinguishes between the practicing and non-practicing Muslims. He repeated that prayers in the streets were outrageous, but stemmed from lack of places in mosques. According to a senior official, there are 17 mosques in Paris, all filled up, and they can't accommodate more than 13,000 people, which is clearly insufficient.

PART I-b

NORWAY:

CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE WANTS A MOSQUE TO INCREASE IMMIGRATION
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)
September 3, 2011

Via Utrop (Norwegian):

Trude Brosvik, head of Christian Democratic KrF party in the Sogn og Fjordane county, thinks a mosque will contribute positively to the county.

"Like it is important for Christians to have a Church, it's also important for Muslims to have a mosque here in the county. A mosque will be an advantage if we're to take in immigrants," Brosvik told the Firda newspaper.

The Frp party in the county previously announced a new goal to increase the number of residents by 13,000 by 2020.

"KrF is concerned by freedom of religion, and we have a lot of understanding for having people practice their faith. Therefore we principally support that also Muslims should get to build their own hall of assembly," says Brosvik.

Frank Willy Djupvik, Frp's candidate in the county elections, told Firda that Muslims should be allowed to build mosques in a country with freedom of religion, but within the laws and not by using county money.

PART II:

INTERFAITH RELATIONS:

PART II-a

CAIR-HOUSTON: INTERFAITH GROUPS PROTEST TEXAS GOV. RICK PERRY'S PRAYER RALLY
CBN News
8/5/11

As thousands prepare to attend Texas Gov. Rick Perry's prayer rally, The Response, opponents are holding an interfaith service in Houston Friday night. Although they haven't found evidence, they've accused Perry of using tax dollars to plan the event and say he's blurring the line between church and state. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, warned the governor "don't mess with the Constitution." "Don't believe that just because you're the governor you have something in your job description that says you're the pastor of everyone from San Antonio to Dallas," he said. Members of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) were also present at Friday's protest. "If it had been a Muslim governor, head of state, and he elected to have a Muslim prayer and opposed to bringing other people in, that would have been a big issue," Mustafa Carroll of the Dallas Fort Worth Chapter of CAIR said.

PART II-b

NETHERLANDS:
CALL TO PRAYER AT INTER-RELIGIOUS SERVICE
(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Via De Gelderlander

On Sunday September 4th the town of Doetinchem will hold a festival, followed by a joint inter-religious service. The city found Muslim, Catholic and Protestant leaders who agreed to participate in the service. Before the service the town will ring the church bells and sound the Muslim call to prayer.

Originally there were reports this will be done from a temporary minaret, but those reports turned out to be erroneous. "It's a statement from all participants," explains organizer Joop Sars. Sars said that in these times of hardening attitudes, they want to show that Doetinchem is a tolerant city where diverse nationalities live side by side and can confirm their faith together in the town's festival.

PART III

MENTAL HEALTH:

(ED NOTE:

WE ARE ONE UMMAH !
WE ARE ONE UMMAH !
WE ARE ONE UMMAH !

Yes, we have heard that before.

But dear Muslim brothers and sisters in Germany and Switzerland, as part of UMMAH, please educate us as to what you are doing to help our Turkish sisters who in Switzerland have a suicide rate three times the average and in Germany, young German women of Turkish origin, are five times as likely to attempt to commit suicide as non-immigrant women of the same age, and they are twice as likely to succeed ?

In Switzerland, sixty percent of them had problems in their relationships and twenty percent had problems with their parents ? We were just curious as to what is the Swiss Ummah doing to address this above two problems ? Does the Swiss ummah have a network of ansars (field case workers), counselors and psychotherapists who work voluntarily from their headquarters (Muslim Social Service Committee) in the local Masjids ? OR is there an indifferent attitude such as "Well, there are clinics and hospitals they could go to".


While we want to be clear that we are NOT implying that the above volunteers from Masjid should be the primary mental health treatment providers, which we are aware they CANNOT BE, what we are saying is that as Muslims we need to be PROACTIVE and if we have a organizational structure and are able to reach out to Muslims at an early stage of a problem, identify their issues and encourage & refer them to seek treatment in the community, it could go a long way to prevent the problem from getting worse and blowing out of proportion.

We are hundred percent sure that not all values the immigrants bring from their home countries to their new country of settlement are truly ISLAMIC, although they may masquerade as Islamic. We believe that as Muslims if we sincerely tried to siff through the values and identify & eliminate the negative attributes that masquerade as Islamic, it could go a long way to reduce conflict between the immigrant husband and wife relationships & conflicts between parents and children. We know above is EASIER SAID THAN DONE and we acknowledge the extreme complexity of the whole issue. But we have to start somewhere and take the FIRST BABY STEP.

As Muslims the Imams and other leaders of the Muslim Community must encourage the concept of seeking treatment and work hard towards reducing if not eliminating the severe stigma attached to mental illness.

We were wondering, whether the ONE UMMAH concept is applicable only when you get together on Friday prayers, functions over the weekend, Tarawee prayers during month of Ramadan and during Eid functions ? OR is the ONE UMMAH concept applicable WAY BEYOND the above events. If that is the case we humbly appeal to you all to work together to help not only our Turkish sisters in Germany and Switzerland, but many other Muslims worldwide who are currently going through challenging times in terms of economical difficulties, social adjustment issues, family conflict issues, divorce, recent death, coping with chronic illness and debilitating conditions due to mental illness, substance abuse, gambling and sexual addictions et.c.

In the psychiatric hospitals and nursing homes in the United States, if the patient has strong religious beliefs, every attempt is made to help the patient receive services such as visits by the pastor for SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS SUPPORT and providing religious services within the facility.

For example if a Muslim sister is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, in as much as a Pastor could visit a Christian patient for providing support, an Imam could also visit the patient and provide Islamic support. There are hadith that emphasize the importance and rewards given to anybody that visits a patient who is sick. Please note that such visits are not confined to medical sickness alone but all types of sickness including mental illness. Further there is a very long way the Muslims have to go in terms of working towards reducing the stigma towards mental illness.

The challenge for Muslims is that due to absence of a Muslim Social Service Committee in many Masjids, there is no central coordination and there is NO LINK between a Muslim patient in a psychiatric unit to the Imam. The link for sure is there when the patient may have already overdosed on medications or committed suicide in some other way and the Imam is called for the funeral prayers.

The male editor of this E-Zine recalls that in the past, he was a mental health professional as part of an EMERGENCY OUTREACH BUREAU in a particular County. That County had a toll free hot line number for anyone to call if they are OR if they knew one of their family member or friend et.c was suicidal or homicidal. The above professional was on-call and received several referrals & went to different parts of the county and visited the suicidal/homicidal patient and as needed referred the individual to a psychiatric hospital via the help of ambulance and police if need be.

Apparently one day the above professional learnt from members of the local Masjid that an adult Muslim male committed suicide by hanging from a tree in his own backyard. It was so sad and painful to note that the above professional went all over the County to evaluate patients who were suicidal and referred them for treatment, but little did he know that in the same City where he lived, there was a mysterious suicidal Muslim brother who committed suicide without receiving any help. While there were Pastors from Church who had called the same 800# requesting a psychiatric evaluation for one of their Church members in their community, because of lack of a organizational structure in the Muslim community to reach out to distressed Muslims, the Imam had no clue of an impending crisis / death and had NO opportunity to be pro-active to seek out help on the late Muslim's behalf.

We strongly encourage Muslims in local communities to put in practice the ONE UMMAH concept and have Masjid as their headquarters not only to pray together but also to create opportunities to help each other in various ways through various committees and sub-committees. Anyone who knows the history of Islam knows very well, that our own Prophet Mohamed (SAW) used Masjid for multi-purpose use beyond just prayers.

This is a really sad state of affairs for Muslims GLOBALLY. The below case study examples in Germany and Switzerland is just a platform to even begin discussion on such an important but neglected issue in both the real world and the Cyber world including the blogosphere.

PART III-a

Caught Between Two Cultures:
Risk of Suicide Greater for Turkish-German Women
www.spiegel.de
(condensed version)
By Barbara Hardinghaus
August 5, 2011

The number of attempted suicides is five times as high among young Turkish-German women than their ethnic German counterparts. In a state of limbo between two cultures, they often succumb to despair. Sema (not her real name) , a 27-year-old woman who tried to commit suicide twice, is a case in point.

Berlin has about 170,000 residents of Turkish descent. For several months last summer, life-sized posters were displayed in subway stations and on advertising columns. They included a hot line telephone number and one sentence, written in both German and Turkish:

"End your silence, not your life!"


Meryam Schouler-Ocak, the physician-in-chief at the psychiatric clinic of Berlin's highly respected Charité hospital, is behind the poster campaign. Her office is in the St. Hedwig hospital, not far from the café where Sema is sitting. Schouler-Ocak is of Turkish origin.

Young German women of Turkish origin, she says, are five times as likely to attempt to commit suicide as non-immigrant women of the same age, and they are twice as likely to succeed.

Many young Turkish women who were born in Germany, even if they are well integrated into society, still face pressures associated with their origins and can have an especially tough time.

..... "Often it's a desperate plea for help," says Oliver Razum, a physician and professor of health science at the University of Bielefeld in western Germany.

"But if someone jumps from a tall building, they intend to succeed."

Razum, the numbers man, was one of the people who had sent his statistics to Berlin physician Schouler-Ocak when she was doing her research.

He has even more statistics in his records, including numbers that describe how immigrant women commit suicide: 43.3 percent hang themselves, 16.3 percent jump from tall buildings and 13.5 percent take pills. ....

The crisis hotline project that Schouler-Ocak heads will continue until the end of September. It's uncertain how it will proceed, but the Berlin crisis service is planning ot take over the hotline for at least one day a week because so many women have been calling in .

When Sema (not her real name) tried to commit suicide, the doctors advised her to stay in the hospital for a few days longer. But her parents took her home and said nothing.

....A Second Suicide Attempt
She got up on a chair and tried to throw herself out of the window of her parents' apartment. She was 19 when she tried to kill herself the second time, a few weeks before the wedding. But her parents held her back. Sema told them that everything was OK, and that she wanted to sleep for a while. When she was alone, she got up and swallowed every pill she could find. She took four bottles of pills this time, her mother's sleeping pills and antidepressants. When Sema opened her eyes again, she was in the intensive care unit. She had been under for two days. Now she was disappointed that it hadn't worked. After four days in the hospital, Sema went back home and married the man who locked her up.

For the complete article check out: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,778237,00.html

PART III-B

SWITZERLAND:
FEMALE TURKISH MIGRANTS THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT SUICIDE
September 7, 2011

(www.islamineurope.blogspot.com)

Via WRS:

60% suffered from problems in their relationships, and 20% suffered from problem with their parents.

Studying the reasons why people try and take their own lives is an important part of tackling suicide prevention. Research released on Tuesday uncovered some worrying trends in migrant communities. A group from the University Psychiatric Clinic in Basel carried out in-depth interviews with Turkish migrants who had attempted to take their own lives.

PART IV

(ED NOTE:

Muslim Chaplains in the UK seem to be doing a splendid job in trying to connect their communities to public entities. We should admit that Muslim Chaplains in the United States are lagging behind in this respect. But inshallah they will catch up soon.

On a personal note, we attempted to be a bridge to connect the Imams to various public entities to assist our Muslim clients/inmates/consumers and we mailed our invitation to almost all Masjids in a particular City but unfortunately received a dismal response in terms of responding and/or attending the CONSORTIUM OF MUSLIM SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.

In one hospital, there was already a assigned Rabbi and Pastor visiting the patients in Intensive Care Unit and other units, on a voluntary basis whenever requested by patients. There were several Muslim patients too and therefore, we tried to request the Imam of the local Masjid to be a volunteer, but unfortunately he did not seem to be interested to be assigned on a regular basis as the Rabbi and Pastor. This is not to be misconstrued to reflect all Imams. We are sure there are several other Imams within the US, who are motivated and would do their very best to assist our Muslim brothers and sisters who are consumers in various public entitites including hospitals, prisons, schools et.c.)

UNITED KINGDOM:
MUSLIM CHAPLAINS CONNECT COMMUNITIES TO PUBLIC BODIES
September 25, 2011


The research found chaplaincy is a rapidly expanding sphere of work for Muslim religious professionals

Via the BBC (h/t Islamophobia Watch)

Muslim chaplains in Britain play a key role linking their communities with public organizations, research by Cardiff University has found.

It found a rapidly growing number of Muslims in a sphere of work usually associated with the Christian faith.

Chaplains can be found in prisons, hospitals, airports, courts, higher education and the military, with some people describing them as role models.

PART V

THE SCENARIO OF A MUSLIM COUPLE:

There was a Muslim couple who separated after few years of marriage. Some friends from the local Masjid (couples consisting of males & females) who met them as a couple while attending various parties and functions were shocked because they seemed at all times to be a "happily married couple" all along. The common close friends of the couple got together and with the sisters leading the group approached the separated wife and asked her what happened all of a sudden in terms of the separation.

She went off on them like bullets continuously flying off an AK 47 machine gun, making horrendous accusations against him, "he did this","he did that" and "I did not expect that he would be ..." et.c. She continued in a loud uninterrupted tone. Although they met her in parties on numerous occasions earlier, they never saw her with such an explosive verbal blowout. They were waiting when she will stop, but she continued making a long list of accusations relentlessly against him. Finally one of the sisters had to interrupt her and politely requested her that they had to leave to take care of something else.

The same group of common friends later went to the husband and asked him what had happened for them to separate. In a slow, polite and calm manner, he started out talking all good things about her. He recalled the happy occasion of their marriage ceremoney, their honeymoon, their enjoyable out of town trips and he continued verbalizing glowing praises of her. They were shocked and one of them commented to him, that when they met his wife, she had lot of negatives to tell them about him, and now he is talking nothing but good things about her ? He told them that, he fully understands where she is coming from and he cannot talk anything bad about her, since "she is not here to defend herself". The friends later left puzzled.

Was the marital conflict building up lot of anger, seething resentment that the wife did not find an avenue to express it to anyone until the common friends met her ?

Were they the outlet for her to finally vent out her explosive locked up intense negative feelings against him ?

OR

Was she in a MANIC PHASE of her prolonged UNTREATED BI-POLAR DISORDER to which the husband was used to but not the friends who only met them at parties ?

Was the husband a real gentleman as he appeared to be or was he is an extremely slick emotional manipulator who brought her to her current state of anger as she exhibited ?

ALLAH KNOWS BEST

THE END