I was at juma' this past Friday in New York. . Masjid
Malcolm Shabazz had guests. They do every so often. They are
big on interfaith activities and alliances.
Yesterday some brothers arrived late and started making
their Sunnah prayers before the Juma' salat. Imam Pasha
expressed his resentment over their lateness and said that
they don't even have the decency that when they arrive late
to sit somewhere to avoid being noticed. He said they had
the audacity to come in there and stand in front of everyone
and pray.
He then went on to say that in "your countries" [most of the
brothers are African and some are Arabs] prayer is nothing
more than a ritual. He said that just because you get on
your hands and knees, that will not save you from hell fire
and he added: 'See you there.'
Imam Pasha also remarked how embarrassed he was because of
the visitors being there. [I think what he said was more
embarrassing.]
I have never heard any other imam criticize in such a way.
Do you think the imam was right? Is there any hadith
allowing this kind of behavior with late comers to
Juma.'
[Name withheld.]
Answer by Br. Kaukab: This situation arises because we have
started giving more importance to non-believers visiting our
mosques than to believers. Trying to condemn entire nations
of Africa and Arab countries is extremely irresponsible.
Sunnah is recommended and in the mosque where I give
khutbas, we encourage Muslims to make Sunnah prayers.
Visitors should be greeted nicely and should be seated in
such a way that they don't become the center of
attention.
Obviously the imam was very irritated but he insulted the
believers instead of controlling his irritation.
Afterwards he could have talked to the late comers
separately and explained his problem.
Interfaith is becoming a nuisance because some mosques try
to make it a show place to Impress non-Muslims.
Hadith is very strong on two rakats before khutba even if
khutba is going on:
Jabir, r.a., narrates, once on Juma' day when the Prophet,
pbuh, was giving the khutba, a man entered the masjid and
sat down. , The Prophet, pbuh, asked him, have you prayed?
He said: No. The Prophet, pbuh, said: Get up and make two
rakats.
[Hadith in Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan of Abu Dawood,
Jami Tirmidhi, Sunan of Nasai and Sunan of Baihaqi.]
The messenger of Allah, pbuh, said: When you enter the
masjid, do not sit down without praying two rakahs. [Sahih
Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.]
Jamaat al-Muslimeen Activity in Delaware: Focus on America's
Inability to deal with Evil within Itself
On September 22, a six- page document was given to 100
Muslims after Juma' salat in Newark, Delaware.
They were mostly Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Arab Americans.
The crowd was so large that two prayers were held.
Here is an outline of the 6 pages given to 100 Muslims:
Russian and American air forces wreaking havoc in Syria.
Islamic State Unable to stop air strikes. [[Syrian Observatory]
Buddhist Brutalities against Rohingya
Muslims.[Bangladeshi news]
Eid in Ethiopia despite heavy rains. [Sis. Ashira.]
&
&
America facing evils of porno, rape, homo sex, global
warming, genocide of Black youth. Islamic solutions are
needed. Islam of striving not the sufistic praying and dikr.
Unite against occupation and Israel. [Br. Kaukab.]
Journalist & his Daughter Opposing Assad murdered in Turkey
[by Sis. Karina Friedemann.]
[Also see major report on refugees, below, left.]
Orouba Barakat, an activist opponent of the regime who has
written extensively about torture in Syrian government
prisons, was murdered along with her daughter, Halla, a
journalist, in their Istanbul apartment. This is alarming
news, since the Greek high court recently approved forced
deportations of Syrians to Turkey. Turkey is not a safe
place for them.
[Orouba is the aunt of Deah Barakat who was murdered in
North Carolina. The perpetrator has still not been brought
to trial.]
Anniversary
This is Maulana Maudoodi's Anniversary.
His most important teaching:
ISLAM IS A COMPLETE WAY OF LIFE.
Shaikh Faisal has been arrested probably trapped by an informant.
Don'y forget Dr. Aafia, Imam Jamil, Tariq Mehenna, Masoud
Khan, Siddique Abdullah Hasan, Ziyad Yaghi, and many
others
held in US prisons based on show trials and fake charges
usually trapped by informants.
[Thank you Br. Ali Randall and Sis. Ayesha for your support
for the prisoners. ]
Shameful Atrocities against Shaikh Zakzaky and his Family.
Though we don't sgree with this group's beliefs:
Atrocities against Ibraheem Zakzaky and his family have
gone beyond all limits of decency and humanity.
Three of Sheikh Zakzaky's brothers were killed earlier. Even
his wife has been badly treated and shamefully
humiliated.
Demonstrations are being held in northern Nigeria for his
release. Among the protestors are many Muslim women.
This is a peaceful group which alienated itself from the
rest lof the population by aligning with the sect prevalent
in Iran.
Muslims should remember that differences with any group do
not allow us to fabricate stories against them.
ISIS and Boko Haram have suffered tremendously from
government propaganda but Muslims should not do the same to
Shaikh Zakaky though he opposed Boko Haram. This is an
unarmed, peaceful group. New Trend urges the Nigerian regime
to stop the atrocities against Shaikh Zakzaky and his family
and release them forthwith.
The courts in Nigeruia have not been able to prove any
charges against them.
Palestine
Muslims Run for Gaza
By Nadrat Siddique
Special to the New Trend
Washington, DC
September 16, 2017
Under beautiful sunny skies, hundreds of runners ran along
the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. The heat rose to 78 degrees
that morning, and some participants wore tank tops, short
sleeved tees, and shorts. But a large number wore kaffiyahs
or tee shirts bearing the Palestinian flag. Many of the
female athletes wore hijab. A few of the young men donned
Palestinian flags, which flew behind them in cape-like
fashion. The run was the Gaza 5K, which is held annually in
five major U.S. cities, including Washington, DC. It is
sponsored by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
(UNRWA) USA, and raises funds for UNRWA's Community Mental
Health Programme (CMHP) for Palestinian children in
Gaza.
Why a 5K run for Gaza?
There have been three major Israeli offensives against Gaza.
Each had a devastating impact, and illustrated Israel's
utter disregard for international law. During the 2014
offensive—the last major offensive, 2,139 Palestinians
were killed. Of these, 490 were children. Eleven thousand
(11,000) Palestinians were wounded. Of that number, 3,000
were children. In addition, Israel destroyed 20,000
Palestinian homes in Gaza, and up to 500,000 Gaza residents
were displaced. By comparison, in the same (2014) conflict,
64 Israeli soldiers were killed; 6 Israeli civilians were
killed; and 1 Israeli child was killed. (Statistics: The
Independent, August 27, 2014)
According to the race organizer's (UNRWA USA) web site,
"Children and adults alike continue to experience high
levels of stress and distress as result of a decade of
recurrent Israeli military assaults, deepening poverty,
increased gender-based violence, isolation, and movement
restrictions because of the illegal blockade imposed by
Israel and Egypt."
The UNRWA USA web page continues, "The stress of these
issues has produced: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
anxiety, depression, intense fear, bed-wetting, poor
concentration, eating disorders, sleeping disorders,
irritability, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD)."
So the Gaza 5K was for the innocent children of Gaza, and to
this writer, who has done dozens of 5Ks, it felt right being
there.
Teaming up at the Gaza 5K
Runners and walkers participating in the Gaza 5K have the
option of running as individuals, or as part of a team. The
teams participating were diverse, and illustrated the world
community's deep love for the Palestinian people and a broad
commitment to human rights in Gaza. A total of 60 teams
participated in the 2017 Gaza 5K.
The team U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, which
included many non-Muslim friends of the Palestinian cause,
raised the most money for the refugees, at $4,875. The
team's self-description was "Jogging for Justice."
Team Al-Hanooti included family members of the late imam of
Dar ul-Hijra fame. Imam Muhammad Hanooti was born in Haifa,
Palestine, and the family evidently does the race every
year, including shortly after their patriarch's passing in
2015. The team raised close to $1,777 among their seven
members. Hanooti's 29-year old daughter Shayma al-Hanooti
finished the race in 39:54.
Another team was that of Albert Mokhiber and his family:
Team Mokhiber. The former Arab American Anti-Discrimination
Committee (ADC) head, now an attorney at a high profile law
firm in DC, led one of the top fundraising teams, raising
$4,772 for Gazan refugees. Mokhiber's daughter Laila is
Director of Communications for UNRWA USA, and the Mokhibers
said the team was their way of helping Palestinian refugees.
The 69-year old Albert Mokhiber walked the race, finishing
in 1:02 (1 hour 2 minutes). His wife Hindy, 10 years his
junior, finished in 48:50.
A Tribe Called Hibster was the fifth ranked team in
fundraising, raising $3,309. The team included several
members of the Dajani family, which has centuries' old roots
in Palestine. The team's captain, Hiba Ismeail, fundraised
with great fervor, but did not walk or run the event.
MAS (Muslim American Society) Maryland's four member team
raised $1,767. Their team member Marwan Oweis held an
impressive pace of 7:29 min/miles throughout the race,
finishing in 23:14.
DMV (District-Maryland-Virginia) Muslim Youth's team was
dominated by women, including team captain and longtime
pro-Palestine activist Aneesah Abdul-Fattaah. The team's
Nathan Nesbitt, of Cambridge, MA, took first place overall,
finishing in 18:25. He held an astounding 5:56 min/mile pace
for the duration of the 3.1 mile course. The team raised
$116.
The top female runner, 25-year old Cherie Bennett, did not
appear registered with any team. With short cropped blond
hair, shorts, and tank top, she blazed the field, finishing
in 20:24. She was doing 6:34 min/miles! In the awards
ceremony which followed the event, Bennett said she had been
to Palestine, and supported the Palestinian cause.
Then there was Wadi Run, a team of Georgetown University
students. They raised $1,061. Wadi Run team member Lauren
Stricker was the 2nd fastest of all women, finishing in
22:39. (She held a 7:18 min/ mile pace.) Her team mate,
Keith McKay, finished just before her, completing the course
in 22:34.
PLO Delegation, a team in itself, consisted of only three
people, and raised exactly $79. One woman from that team,
31-year old Janeen Rashmawi almost overtook me, running 7:32
min/miles. (I was doing 7:25 min/miles, but more on this
later.)
Islamic Relief, a team with 12 members, raised only $211.
But IRUSA team members, mostly young, compensated by blazing
the field. They were fast, most of them finishing in less
than 30 minutes. Twenty-five year old Ibrahim Zafar, of
Arlington, VA, was the fastest of them, finishing in 24:15
(he was doing 7:49 minute miles).
Jews for Gaza, a team with 9 members, raised $1,055. The
team's self-description was "Jews stand in solidarity with
Palestinian refugees to support freedom and dignity for
all."
Their team mate, 23-year old Adam Beardsley, was the fourth
fastest of all runners, finishing the course in 19:07. (He
held a 6:09 min/ mile pace).
Team Jamaat al-Muslimeen
This was the first year that Jamaat al-Muslimeen
participated as a team, called Team Jamaat Al-Muslimeen.
Among others, the diverse team included Kalim Umran, a
Muslim historian who is the narrator of a PBS video series
on Barry Farms (a project in SE Washington, DC, and the
subject of major gentrification attempts); Shakoorah El, an
activist sister from Baltimore, who is also practiced in
traditional African dance; and New Trend editor/ imam Dr.
Kaukab Siddique.
Imam Dr. Kaukab Siddique of Masjid Jamaat
al-Muslimeen-Baltimore, who is 74, completed the walk in
1:22 (1 hour 22 minutes). By all appearances, he was the
only imam to physically participate in the Gaza 5K. Dr.
Siddique, who used to run with his mother years ago, and
then later with his daughter (this writer), did the run
without stopping or feeling overly drained. He said he
walked continuously for at least half an hour every day, and
expressed the hope that his participation might encourage
other Muslims to follow the Prophet's example of physical
fitness and staying active into their later years.
The Gaza 5K was Shakoorah El's first race. She completed the
course in 57:46. As awards were announced, she was
astonished to hear her name being announced: She was awarded
the "Fastest Masters Female Award" (the Gaza 5K's masters
award is granted to the fastest 65+ year old runner).
I was team captain for Team Jamaat al-Muslimeen, my first
time ever as captain of anything. It was a liberating
feeling, running the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, in Southeast
Washington, DC, an area which, to me, held many parallels to
the Gaza struggle. The run was an out-and-back run, so that
after one reached the half way mark and doubled back, one
could see other runners approaching from the opposite
direction. Some of the runners I saw as I doubled back
carried the Palestinian flag. When I saw them, I yelled
"Free free Palestine!" to which they responded in kind. Many
of the runners and walkers expressed appreciation for my
shirt during the race, as well as afterwards. (I wore a
long-sleeve black shirt bearing the words "Free Palestine"
above the red, black, white, and green Palestinian
flag.)
After I'd been running for a while, I chanced upon Shakoorah
El. She was walking while talking animatedly with two other
sisters in hijab. All three of them cheered me on, and I did
similarly. A while after that, I saw Dr. Kaukab Siddique
(Ameer of Jamaat al-Muslimeen). He was accompanied by Abdur
Rahman Naim (Masjid Jamaat al-Muslimeen custodian, and a
dear brother and friend). They were walking in relaxed
fashion, holding a steady pace. We exchanged chants of
"Allah ho Akbar!" and fist pumps, after which it seemed to
me that we all moved a little bit faster.
The crowd support propelled me to finish #1 in my division.
I completed the race in 23:01, holding on for
dear life to my 7:24 min/mile pace. And— I was the 4th
fastest female finisher out of the 312 women who ran the
race. Only three women were faster than me, and they were
25, 21, and 30 years old (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place
respectively). I was #23 out of everyone including men (so
out of a total of 545 participants).
I am 49-years old, and did not get into serious running
until age 39 (prior to that, I engaged only in casual and
sporadic running since my teen years). Aside from the
personal sense of accomplishment in doing a race for a cause
very dear to my heart—Palestine, the experience
reaffirmed for me the notion that neither age nor sex
necessarily defines ability, and that some limitations are
human-/ self-imposed. And— the hadith tell us that our
beloved Prophet (SAW) engaged in very physically arduous
military campaigns against the kuffar which required him to
traverse long distances on horseback across the deserts of
Arabia until the age of 65. If he is our role model, we, as
a community need to up the ante on physical fitness. How
many of us can run a mile comfortably? The Rasool (SAW)
could, and did, with his wife, Ayesha Siddiqa (RA).
Alhamdulillah, our team, Team Jamaat al-Muslimeen, raised
$738 in its first year of participating in the race.
In all, 540 people ran the Gaza 5K: 228 men and 312 women.
There were Afghans, Libyans, Palestinians, Bengalis,
Pakistanis, American-born Blacks, and others. There was a
woman in a wheelchair, an evidently pregnant woman, and many
who ran or walked with baby strollers. At race's end, an
elderly man who had walked the 3.1 mile course was taken
away in an ambulance. From the ambulance he called out that
he would be doing the race again next year.
At least for one day, at the Gaza 5K, the aphorism "The
believers are but one brotherhood/ sisterhood" was
evident."
So called Salafi Da'wah is externalizing Islam and killing its Spirit.
Raabia Ahmad
[Stone Mountain, Georgia]
What the Salafi Dawah taught me as a young child and young
adult, was to project an "outward" appearance of Islam that
was acceptable to those around me. If I looked the part, I
was the part. If I wore all black Jilbabs, and hijabs,
didn't watch tv, or listen to music EVER, was submissive,
took from the imams, I was told to take from etc etc, then I
was better than other Muslims who didn't look like me. I was
Salafi and that meant I was automatically on the haqq (the
truth),... and EVEYONE else wasn't.
This critical, and judgemental jargon that was used in
Friday khutbas, and elsewhere left me critical of myself and
others. Would I ever be a good enough Muslim I wondered?
There were so many RULES. I was only 13 and already felt so
overwhelmed, I was sooo afraid of Allah and of not being
accepted by the community. If I made a mistake, would Allah
forgive me? What was my true relationship with Allah? I
didnt know. All I knew was what others taught me about who
Allah was. But the teachings were so FEAR based. Where was
the kindness, empathy and compassion for others? It seemed
non-existent. In the process of focusing on the outward; my
inner "SOUL" was neglected.
Teachings of GOOD character were neglected. Teachings about
Allah's forgiveness and love were neglected. Teachings about
cleansing spiritual diseases and evolving as a Muslim were
not taught ENOUGH. Basic love towards your fellow Muslim
brother was not TAUGHT or expressed ENOUGH. A Muslim wearing
a Jilbab and Thoub could treat you any way they PLEASED
because they looked like and were considered to be a "good"
Muslim. Relationships in families where sisters and brothers
continued to wear the "mask" of being a good Muslim were
often BROKEN HOMES. As long as the outer was good it didn't
matter what was truly on the inside.....
-TheHighlySensitiveHijabi
PAKISTAN
Balochistan
Give the People their Rights.
LAHORE, Sep.21: Secretary General, Jamaat e Islami, Liaqat
Baloch, has said that Baluchistan was the most sensitive
part of Pakistan and was rich with natural resources and it
must get priority in the development projects of the CPEC.
He was talking to the JI workers before his departure on a
two day visit to Balochistan. economic, rights.
The Ji Secretary General said that the people of Balochistam
wanted the protection of their political, economic rights
besides security of their life, property and honor. He said
that Gwadur was the pivot and central point of CPEC and the
people of Balochistam should have priority rights over the
benefits flowing from the ambitious project.
Besides, he said, the area of Chaghi was used for the
nuclear test but later the government forgot all promises
made to the local people. He counseled the rulers to change
their attitude and provide the basic needs to the people of
Balochistan
[JI Media]
War News
Philippines
Marawi
September 17 to 23.
Fighting in the central core of Marawi city continued day by
day.
The city has been destroyed by the air strikes of the
Filipino air force and its long range artillery.
The Islamic fighters are led by their top leaders and are
still able to repel army attacks.
The regime says that now it has cut off all exits from the
city and the fighters will not be able to retreat.
A very small IS force is fighting.
Pakistan
September 22: Islamic fighters launched an attack on
:Pakistani military in the Khyber area which the army said
it had captured last month.
The army says an officer in charge of its positions was
killed and 2 soldiers were also killed. However it seems to
be hiding its losses and journalists are not allowed in the
area.
Separately, the police killed 3 armed "militants" in the
town of Rahim Yar Khan.
Meanwhile, on the Sialkot border with Pakistan, Indian
troops fired mortars for several hours at villages in the
area killing 6 civilians, 4 of them women and injuring
20.
[New Trend gets the impression that the Pakistani military
is not guarding its border with its traditional enemy,
India, and is expending it energy fighting Islamic
"militants" at the behest of America.]
Syria
108 days of bombing by USA destroyed al-Raqqa.
US-backed Kurds and Russia-backed Shias racing to grab
territory in Deir ez Zor.
al-Nusra [Tahrir] launches offensive against regime forces
north of Hama. Major advance stalled after Russian
bombing.
The US-Kurd offensive against al-Raqqa ended with the
destruction of al-Raqqa and slaughter on bothh sides.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights [SOHR] documented
that the end of al-Raqqa came on September 21. It documents
that 80% of the city has been completely destroyed in US air
strikes. The Islamic defenders ran out of ammunition, food
and water and were killed when they came out to search for
supplies.
SOHR has documented the following losses for al-Raqqa in 108
days of bombing by the US air force:
1235 civilians killed.
1291 ISIS fighters killed.
594 Kurdish Communist fighters [SDF] killed.
Central Syria
On September 22 Tahrir al-Sham [al-Nusra, formerly al-Qaida]
and Ahrar al-Sham launched an offensive against Assad regime
force and advanced rapidly west of Salamiya. However intense
Russian bombing stopped it from capturing Hama itself.
Several villages were captured in a counter attack by
Hizbullah but have now been recaptured by Tahrir.
A part of Hama province which was controlled by IS witnessed
battles between Assad forces and IS with heavy casualties on
both sides. Both sides have had enough and stopped fighting
if IS withdraws from the area with its families without
being attacked by Russian air force.
In the south east, regime forces [Iranian, Hizb and Shia
militias] are advancing in the province of Deir ez Zor. Fom
the north, SDF Kurd columns are advancing under American air
cover to take some of Deir ez Zor.
Like last week, the regime is attacking FSA and various
Islamic groups in the suburbs of Damascus. It is liberally
using ground tp ground missiles but is unable to advance on
the ground.
Near the Iraq border, a senior Iranian officer, who was
often hailed as a hero in Iran, has been killed in fighting
with ISIS. Another officer is being mourned because ISIS
chopped off his head. Iran is now reported to be using
drones to bomb ISIS positions.
In Lattakia province, Assad's home town came under mortar
attack 11 times from al-Nusra related fighters. No details
on losses.
Latest: Russian air force bombed towns in Idlib province
killing 35 civilians and wounding scores of others.
Iraq
US Air Force striking at IS. Guerrilla Warfare Developing.
Kurds want Independence Referendum.Canadian troops.
September 18 to 24 [Iraq time]
Canadian, French and US Special forces are moving with large
Shia regime forces towards IS cities of Shirqat, Hawija and
three towns near the Syrian border.
The armada has reached the outer defenses of Shirqat and is
gearing up to move on Hawija.
Civilians fleeing from Hawija say that US air strikes are
continuing around the clock and children are terrorized by
the sounds of planes and bombs.
France 24, Kurdish 24 and Iraqi news indicate that Islamic
State is developing guerrilla warfare since the loss of
Mosul.
France has 1200 troops facing IS. One of the French was
killed on September 23. [Bas News]
The regime admits that there has been an IS attack on the
military in Tuz Khurmata [south of Kirkuk].
3 Kurdish peshmarga were killed and 5 wounded near Daquq in
the north.
20 km south of Mosul 3 regime troops were killed in an IS
attack.
On September 22, there was a clash between Shia troops and
Yazeedi troops in which 2 Yazeedis and 3 Shias were killed
and 7 Shia troops wounded.
This was in the Shingal area when shias tried to force their
way through a Yazeedi defense line.
The Kurdish areas in the north east are excited about
holding a referendum on Kurdish independence which Barazani
is pressing with Israeli support. Turkey, Iran and Baghdad
have expressed extreme displeasure. Turkish troops are
massing on the Iraq border in the north.
News Within the U.S.
Kneeling in Peaceful Protest, instead of Standing for the
National Anthem.
by Sis. Aisha [Jamaat al-Muslimeen]
New York City - Beginning with former NFL quarterback Colin
Kaepernick, now other NFL players are kneeling during the
singing of the National Anthem. But, Kaepernick did not
start a trend. I remember NBA player Mahmud 'Abdul-Rauf
saying the Al-Fatiha during the singing of the National
Anthem while getting booed. His teammates surrounded him all
the while in a show of support and protection.
Bruce Maxwell, a Major League Baseball player, kneeled,
recently. These athletes are all of African-descent.
Kneeling is a form of peaceful protest that, definitely,
enrages many White Americans. But, what do these protests
really do? They draw attention but the problems remain. One
of the issues I have with the protest as a Muslim and as
someone of African-descent is that it is ONLY a protest.
These types of protests are used by those who feel
privileged, these guys are millionaires after all.
For most of these athletes, these protests mean something.
NBA players do not have that kind of back-bone. These NFL
players are receiving death threats. Those athletes who are
doing it just to get attention won't last long once people
start expressing anger towards them.
Some teams, such as the Cleveland Browns have drawn the ire
of the local police department, which said that they would
no longer act as security during NFL games.
What arrogance!
It is this ridiculous police department response to such
protests, meant to draw attention to criminal cops and a
corrupt judicial system that sets them free, that should
lead people to include kneeling as a way of life. Not some
temporary protest meant to just draw attention to a problem
that has been a way of life for the oppressive police
force.
There has to be a plan of action for dealing with police
aggression because the universal sign of having your hands
up in an act of surrender means nothing to them!
Sending memos to the NFL Commissioner seeking support for
these kneeling protests is good for ensuring no one's rights
are trampled. Zionist grand dragon David Stern suspended
Mahmud Abdul-Rauf for his protest. But, this protest should
not include the Establishment nor White Americans because
they are from the oppressive group that rule here and
everywhere.
Many White Americans still see police criminality as a Black
issue, which it is not. So, any effort to try and get them
to understand that it isn't is fruitless. Our goal should
not be to awaken people and to get them to see the error in
their supremacist thinking. Just as the Hon. Elijah Muhammad
said, decades ago, if the White man is upset with America
over an issue then, let him create his own organization
where he can vent his frustrations. The Hon. Elijah
Muhammad's reasoning is very true.
In spite of all of the horrendous conditions that have been
inflicted on the indigenous peoples of America by the White
oppressor, the White man still thinks America is great. Any
issues we have with America is called whining by ingrates.
Their oppressive mindset and the benefits reaped from their
oppression of others have rendered them uncompassionate to
any non-White human being.
Kneeling as a way of life should be a no-brainer once these
protesting athletes understand how America operates and how
America treats the indigenous peoples, those of
African-descent included, so disrespectfully. There is no
humanity!
Of course, Muslim athletes, such a Muhammad Ali and Mahmud
Abdul-Rauf, have set a great example for those who have been
willing to make substantial sacrifices while holding
steadfast to their principles owing to their Islamic Faith.
However, it is refreshing to see the media focus attention
on conscious millionaire athletes who have not forgotten
where they come from, rather than those feeling
entitled.
Alabama
Teresa Kaepernick Responds to President
Trump's Attack on Dissident
by Rich Schapiro [AOL News]
Colin Kaepernick's mother blitzed President Trump Saturday,
a day after he slammed NFL players who refuse to stand for
the national anthem.
Teresa Kaepernick lashed out at the president for using
sharper language against NFL players than the white
supremacists who wreaked havoc in Charlottesville, Va.
"In Charlottesville, he would not call out the Nazis, not
call out the white supremacists, but he's calling out these
guys who are peacefully kneeling and asking for their
country to do better," she told Deadspin.
Trump waded into the NFL controversy while stumping for GOP
Senate candidate Luther Strange in Alabama.
"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when
somebody disrespects our flag, to say, get that son of a
b---h off the field right now. He is fired," Trump told the
crowd.
"Total disrespect of our heritage, a total disrespect of
everything that we stand for."
Late Friday, Teresa Kaepernick responded to Trump in a
biting tweet.
"Guess that makes me a proud b---h," she wrote.
In the Deadspin interview, she elaborated on her feelings
about Trump's provocative remark.
"It's always at his rallies, and he's always pandering and
playing to the crowd," Teresa Kaepernick said.
"There are a lot of racist people in that crowd, a lot of
people that are just looking for something to get hyped
about, and this is the kind of thing he does."
Trump is "like a bully on a playground," she adked. "It's
almost what I've come to expect from him and what most of us
have come to expect from him."
She said that she believes Trump's NFL takedown will likely
backfire.
"I thought it was a big mistake on his part," she said.
"Just a terribly bad decision."
VIEWPOINT
Lesbos, Greece
Syrians Fleeing Assad's Terror Regime still Arriving at the
rate of about 100 a day. Torture and Chemical warfare by
regime. [Live Report]
by Sis. Karina Friedemann [Boston]
Neda Kadri is a Syrian-American from Dearborn, Michigan, who
has been working to help refugees for the past two years.
Along with her husband, Rafat al-Hamoud and other
volunteers, she runs a relief center in a rented warehouse
called House of Humanity, which is like a free shopping
center for the needy. Instead of waiting in line for
handouts, they get to browse through clothes on racks and
choose their own groceries. There is a play area for the
youth and facilities for refugees to shower. There are many
people sleeping on the floor.
On September 21, 2017, she gave a live update on Facebook on
the Syrian refugee situation nowadays. She said the boats
are still coming in every day, about 100 refugees per day.
At this point, they have started receiving the Syrians from
the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, where the 2013 chemical
weapons attack took place. Last November the inhabitants
were put on the green buses by the UN with nothing but the
belongings on their back and relocated to Idlib, a city
under Syrian control, their home and property all
confiscated by the Syrian government. Like the Palestinians
displaced by Israel, they will never see their homes again.
Anybody with any money is leaving Idlib for Turkey and
Greece.
She says they are now seeing the worst of the worst cases
they have seen so far, in terms of the emotional condition
and war injuries of the people. She described an old man in
his 80s, with one leg blown off and the other leg rotting
from untreated diabetes. People are limping around with
shrapnel in their heads and bodies. Some have family members
in detention. Many children have enlarged foreheads and
other deformities caused by exposure to chemical weapons.
They are a little bit responsive but act strange. The human
catastrophe has increased exponentially since Russia entered
the war.
There are no doctors in the camp equipped to deal with these
types of injuries. Any trauma surgeons who would be willing
to volunteer in Greece are desperately needed. Neda was also
shocked at the level of traumatic stress that is evident in
the children. She described a three year old girl, who drops
face flat on the floor screaming whenever she hears an
airplane pass overhead. Not all of the refugees are willing
to talk, they do not trust anyone anymore. However she has
heard some very haunting stories. Many refugees have buried
dozens of people, many of them are victims of torture.
One man said that every good wife keeps the bathtub full and
a wet blanket nearby at all times. If there is a napalm or
phosphorous attack, the entire family jumps in the bathtub
and covers themselves with the wet blanket to prevent their
skin from being burned off. If there is a chlorine attack,
they run to the roof with the blanket to get air.
Now they are living in thin shelters. Thousands of people
are trapped in the camps, which are like open air prisons
surrounded by barbed wire.The border is closed. The
bathrooms are filthy. The water gets cut off regularly.
Government funding has dried up and most of the major NGOs
have left. Now there are only individual volunteers with
small humanitarian organizations. And winter is coming. Neda
said she knows there are other things happening around the
world but please don't forget the refugees in Greece. $20
feeds a family for a week. Please donate:
https://www.gofundme.com/houseofhumanityfood4refugees/ .
Neda has always been a strong supporter of the Syrian
Revolution, but seeing all these desperate people, who are
so deeply affected by all the political choices made for
them, has been earth shattering. Her young husband, who sat
beside her during her live update, lost all his family
members either killed in Syria or drowned at sea. It was
adorable to see how his face lit up to see that his
mother-in-law was watching them on Facebook and asking
questions from Michigan.
Also this week, House of Humanity has received its first
four refugees from Yemen. A boat filled with 80 Kurds sank
trying to get from Turkey to Romania. 40 of them were
rescued. Orouba Barakat, an activist opponent of the regime
who has written extensively about torture in Syrian
government prisons, was murdered along with her daughter,
Halla, a journalist, in their Istanbul apartment. This is
alarming news, since the Greek high court recently approved
forced deportations of Syrians to Turkey. Turkey is not a
safe place for them.
GUIDANCE
New Islamic Year
[by Sis. Yasmin]
'Muharram' is the first {1st} month of the Hijri calendar
and is one of the Four {4} sacred months concerning
which...
ALLAH {Aza wa Jall } says in the 'Quran':
'Surely the number of months with Allah is Twelve {12}
months in Allah's ordinance since the day when He created
the heavens and the earth, of these four {4} being
sacred;
'Muharram' is a sacred month because Allah made it sacred
along with three {3} other months and told us about it in
the 'Quran'.
Prophet Muhammad
{may peace be upon him}
informed us about the Four {4} sacred months
in the following narration:
'The year is of Twelve {12}months, out of which
Four{4} months are sacred:
Three{3} are in succession ...
#1/ ~Dhul-Qa'da.
#2/~ Dhul-Hijja.
#3/~Muharram.
#4/~Rajab.
[Source: Bukhari Vol 004, Book # 054, Hadith # 419]
'Ashura'~ [meaning tenth [10th ] in Arabic]
{The 10th of Muharram}
Fasting on the 10th Muharram 'Ashura'
was obligatory on the Muslims before the fasts
of 'Ramadan' were made obligatory.
Narrated by the Mother of the Believers Aisha
(Allah be pleased with her)...
The people used to fast on 'Ashura'
{the tenth (10th)day of the month of 'Muharram'}
before the fasting of 'Ramadan' was made obligatory.
and on that day the 'Kaaba' used to be
covered with a cover.
When Allah made the fasting of the month
of 'Ramadan' compulsory...
*PROPHET* {may peace be upon him} said...
'Whoever wishes to fast (on the day of 'Ashura') may do so;
and whoever wishes to leave it can do so'.
[ Source:-'Bukhari' Vol 02, Book 026, Hadith # 662. ]
Abu Qatada al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported
that...
The Messenger of Allah {may peace be upon him}
was asked about fasting on the day of
'Ashura' {10th of Muharram}
whereupon he said:
It expiates the sins of the preceding year...{!}
{Source..., Muslim: Book 06: Hadith # 2603}
~MY 'SALAAMS' TO ALL~
Courtsey~ Sis Yasmin.
"Never Despair Of The Mercy Of Allah"
Say, 'Indeed, my Prayer, my Rites of Sacrifice, my Living
and my Dying are for ALLAH, Lord of the Worlds'.
{'Quran'~Surat Al-'An'am -# 6-162.}
