Editorial
How did Imam Khomieni's Iran become what it is today.
by Kaukab Siddique
Muslims have always honored and revered Abu Bakr, Umar,
Usman and Ali, may Allah be pleased with them.
Ali, r.a., was honored for his bravery and piety, especially
at the battles of Badr and Khyber in the early years of
Islam with Prophet Muhammad, pbuh.
Wih the murder of Usman, r.a., the compiler of the Qur'an,
the Islamic polity seemed to be torn asunder. In this
seemingly hopeless situation, peace and unity was brought
about by Hasan, the elder grandson of the Prophet, pbuh, who
did not want his father, Ali, r.a.to fight Muawiyyah, r.a.
With unity achieved, Islam expanded rapidly into non-Muslim
lands and achieved victory after victory on the battle field.
After Muawiyya, r.a., his son Yazeed becane Caliph and his
rule was challenged by Hussein, the younger grandson of the
prophet, pbuh. Hussain was lured into a trap by the warlord
of Kufa and murdered in grusesome conditions.
In the years which folllowed, the Ummayad descendants of
Yazeed ruled supreme. The 9 year rule of Abdullah ibn
Zubair, r.a., and later Umar ibn Abdul Aziz reflected some
of the golden era of Abu, Bakr, Umar and Usman, may Allah
bless them.
The cause of the descendants of Ali and Hussein was taken up
by the descendants of Abbas. They took up the cause of the
family of Ali but kept the family under systematic control,
using their piety as a slogan for their own credibility.
Under the Abbasides, with a few exceptions, Shiaism turned
from being a political cause to a spiritual image of great
piety.
The Muslim ummah usually saw the family of Ali, r.a., as
sources of spiritual sustenance. Known as the Shias of Ali,
they broke into numerous sub-sects, each claiming the
spirituality of Ali and his family. Once in a while they
achieved political power, as one of their branches and later
a whole dynasty under the Safavids, each as ruthless as the
Ummayads and the Abbasides had been.
They were usually very corrupt and natural allies of
anti-Islamic powers such as the crusaders and the
mongols.
In the 20th century, Raza Shah Pahlavi and his supporters
were brutal agains their own subjects, the people of Iran.
They were stauch supporters of America and Israel.
The revolution in Iran led by Imam Khomeini overhrew the
King of Iran and destroyed the most important power base
America had in the Muslim world. Huge crowds chanted slogans
against America and Israel.
Iran suffered serious blows from terrorist groups allied to
western powers. The entire leadership of the revolution, 72
men, was wiped out in one deadly explosion. The people
rallied to Khomeni and elected a new president and prime
minister. They too were killed.
The young new leadership was unaware of the worldwide Muslim
unity Imam Khomeni wanted and started teaching the raw,
unvarnished, sectarian version of Shaism which had been
criticized by Ali Shariati, a philosopher of the
revolution.
Then Iran was attacked by Saddam Hussain with the hidden
hands of corrupt Arab leaders backed by America.
Iran fought back hard but without any international support
became steadily more and more nationalistic.
Thus we have today's Iran: Nationalistic in its politics and
shia in its religion.
New Trend is happy to have this famous
Imam from North Carolina back in our columns.
Racism can, will and must be defeated. There is no them and
us, it's all of us. Satan was the first racist.
With racism you cannot be passive; otherwise you are
cooperating with injustice.
Hating people because of their color is wrong.
No race is superior
The rich man's happiness cannot be at the expense of the
poor man's misery.
It is criminal to teach people of an occupied land not to
defend themselves when they are under constant, brutal
attacks.
Racism is so embedded in the western world that it is normal
and apart of the culture.
"If Allah created mankind equal, it is not up to the
creation to behave or decide otherwise. If every man was
created equal then how can any man claim that one race is
better than another?
Read the Quran. Satan was the first racist. He told our
Lord, "I'm better than him."
- Badi Ali is the Imam of a large Islamic community in
Greensboro, North Carolina.
Guest Opinion Article
The Facade of non-Racism among Immigrant Muslims
by Waheeduddin Ahmed
[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]
[The writer has spent most of his life trying to reform
Muslim communities.]
The killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in
Minneapolis has stirred a reaction in every avenue of our
country, whether an urban boulevard or a suburban orchard.
One would think that each and every American was an angelic
anti-discrimanionist. But we know that it is not the case.
Racism, when it is not manifest, hides behind a variety of
facades and in many innovative disguises. As racism is
systemic, its progenitor is prejudice, which could be innate
or induced. Prejudice is a manifestation of ignorance, which
is the root of the problem and the only way to deal with it
is to educate the populace and dispel misinformation at
every corner of society. This is a painstakingly slow
process but we must not relent.
Education starts right from the cradle. A lazy, prejudicial
talk at home leaves a lasting impact on a child's mind. I
know a child with an Indian father and white mother, who,
when reprimanded by his father on a mischief, retorted: "you
f*****g black bastard". Children pick up the n word or in
the case of South Asians the k word either from the elders'
conversations at home or from their peers at school. If the
parents themselves are not suffering from this malady, they
should hear the alarm bells ring and take action.
This brings me to the subject of this discussion: racism
among Muslims. To many of our religious leaders the phrase
itself is preposterous because they are resting on their own
oft- repeated axium that in Islam there is no racism. To
them, belief is all that there is to it. Action is in
another world, on an exoplanet. In the United States, Da-ees
(prophelatisers) have been telling the Blacks that the
mosque guarantees Islamic brotherhood. They are never tired
of referencing the Prophet's last sermon, in which he said
---- "there is no preference of Whites over Blacks and
Blacks over Whites". The Prophet had also said that those
who were present should carry the word to those who were
absent and by implication mandating transmission of the word
to the subsequent generations. Well, the preacher has
fulfilled his responsibility; that is where his job ends and
he has secured himself a place in the jannah. But our job
has just begun. For centuries, hypocrites have been
desecrating the mosque space with abstract pollutants,
foremost among them being racism. This abomination is not
tolerable, at least not in America.
We immigrants come from racially homogenous societies. We
have never experienced racial and cultural diversity, which
is the hallmark of America. We are more comfortable sitting
under the canopy of uniculture, eating biryani or maqluba.
Cross cultural socialization takes a lot of effort and
consumes a lot of energy. We neither have time nor the
requisite training for that. In educated Muslim culture in
the subcontinent, there are two things, which are considered
to be the traits of good upbringing: akhlaq (good behaviour)
and aadaab (etiquettes). To some people, they may seem to
belong to the bourgeoisie but read the Prophet's seerah
before deprecating these qualities.
An African-American Muslim physician told me that once he
was invited to a weekly social get together of Desi Muslim
doctors. He sat there dumbfounded as nobody talked to him.
Why should this kind of gross antisocial behaviour not be
taken as racism?
You go to a masjid dinner on invitation and sit down at a
table, where the top echelon of the administration are
sitting. You may be the most senior person there and no less
in articulation and education than any of them but they
would all try to avoid you as if they were afraid of each
other. They would keep talking to each other and placating
each other. This kind of behaviour indicates a psychological
underpinning of inferiority.
I spent fifteen years in England, working and studying. That
is where my manners and behaviour were molded. The English
are against everything non-British, antiforeign but ask an
Englishman for guidance and help, he/she will be an
embodiment of cultured politeness and excel in helpfulness.
I suggest you hate their politics but adopt their manners.
So, to us who have been working in the Muslim community for
eons, the question of whether or not there is racism among
us, is redundant. There is and it is not even subtle like in
England. Time has now come to address this question face on.
We are in America and America is in racial turmoil and
wrangling with this problem. Those of us who are in the Old
World mindset and are unable to change should step aside so
that the younger generation of leaders takes over. They are
best equipped to deal with this problem.
Turkey - when will it break its idols?
When will Turkey Break its Idols?
The monument of Ata Turk in Israel. The inscription on the
tablet: "Great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Israel who
loves Turkey, Forever grateful to you..!
Is that not an interesting statement?
Why would the Zionists be grateful to Ata Turk? Because he
was used to dismantle khilafa and establish Israel?
King Salman and Erdogan under yahoodi Ata Turk portrait.
News within the U.S. - Guest Opinion Article
Protests Being Hijacked.
The oppressor does not want the oppressed to be in control
of their own affairs.
Sis. Aisha [Jamaat al-Muslimeen]
New York City
There are protests all over America right now in response to
George Floyd's May 25th murder at the hands of a sadistic,
psychopathic police officer. Three other officers, who stood
by and did nothing, were fired. But, Now, ex-officer Derek
Chauvin (the killer) was charged with 2nd murder and
manslaughter. His cohorts, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Keung,
and Tou Thao, were also charged with aiding and
abetting.
Zionist Muslim (an oxymoron) Keith Ellison is the Minnesota
Attorney General who has been given the responsibility of
trying the case. I don't expect much but, Allah is the best
of Planners.
These mini-revolts are in response to the anger people have
felt as a result of this Coronavirus Scare and the
"unsolved" murders of other police murder victims, such as
Eric Garner, who was the first to proclaim, "I can't
breath!" in his televised murder at the hands of eight
cops.
Eric Garner's murder was "unsolved" because, although we saw
who did it and there are no statute of limitations on
murder, the murderer, ex-detective Daniel Pantaleo, has been
allowed to walk free as if he had never been found in the
first place. I heard he is living in Florida, now. I guess,
the Garner Family gave up pursuing justice after their $5.9
million dollar payday?
As I speak, there is an 8 pm curfew on New York City that
ends at 5 am. There have been curfews, as well as the
National Guard present, in a few cities where there have
been revolts.
There are three things to keep in mind:
This new racist murder has become trendy to criticize by
hypocritical White individuals/Establishment. Even cable
channels and professional sports leagues, including the NFL,
are condemning racism.
The White establishment is using its favorite
organization, Black Lives Matter, to hijack the issue of
police corruption and make it about race only. The NBA did
everything it could to prevent kneeling or any other
protests against prosecutorial misconduct in cases involving
killer cops.
Whenever the natives start getting restless and speaking
out, the oppressor steps in and immediately takes control
and suggests less potent ways to fight him. The oppressor is
always at the helm, which is what happened after the
Montgomery Bus Boycott, in Alabama.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted over a year! And, Alabama
has four seasons. That means Black men, women, and children
endured rain, sleet, and snow while walking or car pooling
to school , work, or church. The Boycott made a serious
statement and it was not sanctioned by the White
Establishment, which is why Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was
convicted of organizing an "illegal boycott."
The oppressor does not want the oppressed to be in control
of their own affairs. He has to disrupt and thwart any
effort for self-empowerment and he does it by playing the
role of the hypocrite. He pretends to befriend those he
oppresses then, betrays them. This is why fighting police
corruption is not a movement, yet. It started out as such
until Black Lives Matter sabotaged it under Pres. Obama's
Administration.
White media commentators, even Black Lives Matter, continue
to address police criminality as solely a Black community
issue. Many unaware Black people will agree because the
media highlights these types of cases.
White demonstrators have been walking around cities with
"Black Lives Matter" signs. Black Lives Matter, as reported
by New Trend a few years ago, is a Black gay organization
funded by White elites, most notably Zionist George Soros.
So now, White folk want everyone to believe that this is a
Black issue that they are risking their lives to protest.
Well, that is nothing new. Zionist Jews have claimed that
they marched for Black rights in the 1950s and 60s and White
historians want us to believe that White Union Soldiers
fought to end African Slavery in America.
All Lies! This is a "Great White Hope" moment where
"liberal" Whites can feel good that they've done something
for "you people." When author Lerone Bennet Jr. wrote
"Forced into Glory" he received racist death threats because
he destroyed the sanctified image of President Abraham Lincoln.
It is these Whites power types who want to keep it all about
race instead of what it really is about, which is
oppression. Going after a police officer for abuse of power
has been blocked by the racist liberals and conservatives.
Unfortunately, the media has led people to attack killer
cops for their racist views behind their oppressive actions.
This is where well-meaning people have faltered. Attacking
the actions is a more logical, less emotional, more potent
measure. But, Shai'tan feeds off of emotional people and he
likes to distract and divide. Beliefs of any kind are
intangible and difficult to prove but, actions are what
people can actually see.
The focus on the color of a police crime victim takes away
his/her humanity and it distracts us from the fact that law
enforcement employees have been engaging in an abuse of
power, unchecked. It is a huge problem that the court system
refuses to address with any level of seriousness. This is
what Colin Kaepernick was protesting in the NFL.
A true activist is angry seeing a human being's life taken
away in cold-blood! They don't speak about Black males like
they are a species. A Black male what?
George Floyd, Eric Garner, Amadou Diallo were human beings.
They were men.
White people who believe that they are out there protesting
for Black people are blinded by their own Whiteness. They
feel so secure in their White skin that they do not even
feel threatened by the fact that a defenseless human being's
neck was snapped by a power-tripping officer! They do not
believe that anything like this will ever happen to them
because of their race.
Law enforcement officers also engage in domestic violence.
They act outside the law and regardless who they harm their
actions go unchecked.
Guidance by Sis. Yasmin
*PROPHET* (ﷺ) pbuh said:
"ALLAH IS COMPASSIONATE ONLY TO THOSE AMONG HIS SLAVES WHO
ARE COMPASSIONATE TO OTHERS"
[ Riyad as-Salihin ]
'Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem'
'Assalam Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barkatuh'
Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with them)
narrated:
The daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ) sent for him as her
child was dying, but the Prophet(ﷺ)returned the
messenger and sent her good wishes saying...
' Whatever Allah takes away or gives, belongs to Him, and
everything with Him has a limited fixed term (in this
world), and so she should be patient and anticipate Allah's
reward.'
She again sent for him adjuring him for the sake of Allah to
come.
Prophet~ (Peace be upon him) accompanied with Saa'd bin
'Ubadah, Mu'adh bin Jabal, Ubayy bin Ka'b, Zaid bin Thabit
and some other men went to see her.
The child was lifted up to the Messenger of Allah while his
breath was disturbed in his chest. On seeing that, the eyes
of the Prophet (ﷺ) streamed with tears.
Saa'd said...'O Messenger of Allah, What is this '?
he (ﷺ) replied, 'It is compassion which Allah has
placed in the hearts of His slaves'.
'Allah is Compassionate only to those among His slaves who
are compassionate to others'.
Another version says...Prophet (ﷺ) said...
'Allah shows compassion only to those among His slaves who
are compassionate'.
{ ALHAMDULILLAH }
~ 'Salaams' to all ~
~Yasmin~
Hadith of the Week
Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri, r.a.:
Allah's Apostle said, "When the believers pass safely over
(the bridge across) Hell, they will be stopped at a bridge
in between Hell and Paradise where they will retaliate upon
each other for the injustices done among them in the world,
and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be
admitted into Paradise. By Him in Whose Hands the life of
Muhammad is everybody will recognize his dwelling in
Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this
world.
Obituary
Ramadan Shalah buried
Damascus (AFP) - Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad
buried its former leader Ramadan Shalah in Syria Sunday, an
AFP correspondent said, a day after he died in neighbouring
Lebanon.
The 62-year-old died in a Beirut hospital before his body
was transported across the border to Syria, a Palestinian
source said.
Shalah led Iran-backed Islamic Jihad from 1995 until 2018
when he was replaced by his deputy Ziad al-Nakhala.
At the time, Shalah -- who the United States have listed a
"terrorist" since 1995 -- was believed to be in a coma after
an unknown illness.
Dozens of mourners, including Nakhala, gathered around his
coffin draped in the group's banner in the Mazzeh
neighbourhood of Damascus, after receiving special
permission to gather despite the threat of novel
coronavirus.
A funeral procession then headed to a cemetery in the
Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp on the edge of the capital,
where the Palestinian source said Shalah had wanted to be
buried if not in his birthplace of the Gaza Strip.
[He was once a student in Greensboro, NC, where Imam Badi
also studied.]
DO BLACK LIVES REALLY MATTER ?
By Abdulkabir Oyemomi
Some groups under the auspices of Black Lives Matters
Movement in Nigeria (BLMMN) took to the streets of Lagos and
Abuja to protest the killing of George Floyd ,an African-
American killed by a racist white police named Chauvin Derek
in Minneapolis, United States of America.
The Lagos chapter of BLMMN under the leadership of its
convener Josephine Okpara defied the heavy downpour in
trooping out last week to condemn racism against colored
people in the US. Josephine Okpara said that an end must be
put to " White Supremacy and build local power to intervene
in violence inflicted on black communities by the state and
vigilante".
Okpara added that the killing of Floyd is another grim
example of how black lives have been disregarded by the
state and their affiliates.
African Union (AU) on its part came out boldly and rain
heavy condemnation on the dastardly act of murderer Derek
Chauvin and all acts of racism generally. This bold
expression of condemnation against any acts from White
Supremacists is probably first of its kind from African
Union. The chairperson of the union has been quoted to have
made expressions like "rejection of the continuing
discriminatory practices against the black citizens". Also
credited to AU is a warning statement to"ensure the total
elimination of all forms of discrimination based on race or
ethnic origin".
The high level statements come amid increasing pace of
online protests among Africans online protesting the killing
of Floyd, and by extension, the racist treatment of black
people in the US.
But do the black lives really matter? Maybe the hullabaloo
is all about how black lives should matter to only White
Supremacists! Because it is certain that the black lives of
Nigeria does not really matter to the black communities in
South Africa; the black lives of Muslims of Nigeria do not
really matter to many in the guise of terrorists; the black
lives of northern Nigeria people do not really matter to
government in the face of unfathomable insecurity in the
name of banditry attacks on a daily basis; the black lives
do not really matter to ritualists in the garb of Alfas and
pastors; the black lives of northern Almajiris of the
northern Nigeria only matter at electioneering periods!
Many Nigerians at the forefront of protest for Floyd are
worst in discriminatory practices! Ask the non- Muslims
amongst them how they treat Muslim with symbols of Islam in
their various places of work!
The writer encourages love to be the first instrument of
peaceful coexistence. Followed by appreciation of
differences amongst people of faiths, tribes,and races.