New Trend Magazine (www.newtrendmag.org)

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One of a series of Revolutionary Khutbas
THIS RAMADAN MUSLIMS MUST CHANGE THEIR WAYS
STOP RITUALIZING RELIGION:
STOP VOTING FOR KUFFAR, VISITING WHITE HOUSE
LEADERS MUST NOT BE GETTING RICHER and BEING PAID FOR RELIGIOUS DUTIES
CRITIQUE of PBS MOVIE ON MAKKA:
IT MISLED PEOPLE ABOUT ISLAM

Dr. Kaukab Siddique gave the juma’ khutba and led the prayers at Johns Hopkins University on October 24. Here are the main points:

TEXT: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may learn self-restraint (taqwa). [The Qur’an 2:183]

1. Ritual and religious content are both essential worship. The fast must begin at fajr and end at sun set. Prayers must have Rakats (units) prescribed by the Prophet (pbuh).
2. However, Islam like all religions is threatened by ritualization [not ritual itself]. In this process, the form becomes more important than content and relevance.
3. When Muslims bow before Allah and then also bow before kufr and tughyan, they have ritualized religion.
4. Fasting too has been ritualized. Muslims, especially immigrants, eat more during Ramadan than they usually do. Having completed the ritual of fasting during the day, they feast at iftar.
5. The feast thinking that they are eating Halal, but they forget the second part of the Qur’anic verse about eating. The food should not only be Halal but also TAYYAB ["good for you," wholesome, nutritious].
6. The poor don’t get invited to the feasts of the rich. Such feasting is accursed.
7. We get "ritualized" because we have become much too complacent and comfortable in America. We praise ourselves for praying, fasting in this land of unbelievers. We do not want to challenge the host society or to face the issues of our world.
8. America, in turn, reinforces privatized, ritualized religion. An example of this was the PBS documentary "Inside Makka" shown only a couple of days back. Its photography was impressive, and it showed the diversity and piety of the Muslim world at Hajj.
9. The PBS documentary was deceptive. It left out KEY facts such as:
i. Kingship is not permitted in Islam. Only Khilafa based on shoora is legitimate.
ii. The approaches to Makka are under control of American armadas.
iii. The Saudi regime is hunting down Islamic opponents, torturing mujahideen, silencing outstanding ‘ulema.
9a. The example of the Prophet (pbuh) is that Hajj must be connected to the removal of idols, of which kingship is one of the most shameful and degrading ones.
10. The PBS documentary was saying: This is the kind of Islam America will tolerate: Do your worship and do not challenge the people in power.
11. How was Islam understood by the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh)? Here is an extract from Al-Bidaya wa un-Nihaya by ibn Kathir in which a Persian commander asked Mughira ibn Sho’ba (r.a.) what Islam was all about:
Here is the translation of the words of the Prophet’s Companion:
"Our foundation, on which everything else is based is that we bear witness: there is no god but the one God Allah and that surely Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and that the law coming from Allah be established."
"Humans must be freed from slavery to humans through acceptance of servitude to Allah."
"All humans are from Adam and hence are each others brothers and sisters."
[Volume 7, related to the great battle of Qadisiya which shattered the power of the Persian empire.]
12. This religion of the Sahaba (r.a) is the NEGATION of NATIONALISM and Racism. Fasting must help us to see humanity’s common needs and weaknesses.
12a. Mughira ibn Sho’ba (r.a.) did not ask the Persian to accept Arab dress, Arabic food, Arabic culture. Such demands can only divide people.
13. This is not Islam that across the Red Sea, one one side is the obscene wealth of "saudi" Arabia and on the other, the intense poverty of Somalia and Sudan.
14. WOMEN must realize that Hijab is not the answer to all problems. Women wearing hijab and going the White House and seeking favors from the oppressors are going to the Fire. Without change of heart, formalities of dress are meaningless.
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FOLLOWING PRAYERS, Br. Kaukab made a long du’a asking for Allah’s help in bringing about change in the Muslims of America. He urged those who claim to be leaders to declare THEIR ASSETS, stop BECOMING RICHER as Imams, and stop hiding their income from the Muslim community only to be found out by the U.S. government. In Islam, the LEADERS BECOME POORER, not richer. Islam is NOT A BUSINESS, he concluded. We Muslims must stop our corrupt old ways and seek in Ramadan to purify ourselves.
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THE RAILROADING OF PROF. SAMI AL-ARIAN: A great Injustice is being done
From: tampabaycoalitionforjusticeandpeace@yahoogroups.com

I. Letter to the Editor

II. Update on abhorrent prison conditions

I. To the editor of the Tampa Tribune:

The front page article "Affidavit Ties in Al-Arian" implies quite strongly that Sami Al-Arian was part of an elaborate international network designed to conceal funding for terrorist organizations, fronting as charities. This is based on an "affidavit" signed by a U.S. Customs Agent David Kane. This was a very long article, and not easy to read. Undaunted, we undertook to read the entire article, only to find out far into the article that they have no evidence that the money went to terrorist organizations, but "government agents still think the money went to terrorism because no other explanation makes sense".

Apparently it did not occur to them that the money actually did go to charities. According to a recent report by Jean Ziegler, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, due to the occupation of Palestine "About 60-percent of Palestinians are now living in acute poverty …… and are now completely dependent on food aid; less than one in two households has access to one meal a day." Given these facts, it is not hard for us to imagine that this money may have gone to bona fide charities.

It is going to be extremely difficult for Sami Al-Arian to receive a fair trial for a number of reasons. First, he is being held in very inhumane conditions totally inappropriate for a pretrial detainee. Second, although by law, he should have easy access to lawyers, in practice his access to lawyers is extremely limited. And third, in a recent ruling, he was given the right to view the evidence against him, but his ability to do so is very limited. Furthermore, while he is allowed to see the evidence, neither he nor any potential witness is allowed to talk about the evidence. The only explanation we can think of for this is that there is no evidence against him, and the government does not want us to know that.

All of these factors are going to make a fair trial very difficult, but perhaps the most important factor is the sensationalist, misleading and biased media coverage, predominantly by the Tampa Tribune.

Melva Underbakke
Temple Terrace, FL

If you want to write your own letter the email address is:
tribletters@tampatrib.com
or write Editor, The Tampa Tribune, 200/202 S. Parker St., Tampa FL 33606-2395
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DR. SHAHID ATHAR’S BOOK, ENDORSED BY BUSH and LUGAR
SUPPORTED BY ISNA’S Saiyyid Syeed [A person VERY HELPFUL to the FBI]

{SHAHID ATHAR is typical of rich Muslims in America who do not dare speak against the oppressors. Br. Shaikh Hyder has sent us this description of Athar’s book written by the good doctor himself. First read Br. Hyder sarcastic introductory comment and then read the description:

[Br. Hyder’s comment]
"Wounds of Sept 11 can be healed only if the Muslim dictators send every month hundreds of innocent practicing Muslims to Guanatanamo with a label of Taliban and Alqauida. Oherwise the Great Satan's appetite for more and more Muslim blood will not be satisfied".

Dr. Athar’s introduction of his own book:

Subj: "Healing the Wounds of Sept 11,2001"
Date: 10/19/2003 10:08:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: SAthar3624

dear friends asslamuakaium

II pray for Allah's blessing for you during the blessed month of Shebeen and forthcoming month of Ramadan amin I am pleased to announce the publication of my new book "Healing the wounds of Sept, 11 2001 by!stbook Library. attached is their press release and ordering info. i suggest
1. you buy this book as gift to yourself and your friends and relatives as Eid gift
2. give to non Muslims during their holidays
3. use the book in your fundraising activity and do note money you mosque or charity
4. Arrange book signing for the author in your area book store.

regards dr,shahid athar

PRESS RELEASE

"Healing the Wounds of September 11, 2001"
(Reflections of an American Muslim)
By
Shahid Athar, MD
1st Books Library (www.1stbooks.com), October 2003
132 pages, paperback, $10.25 + $1.75 S&H

September 11, 2001, will always be remembered as a turning point in history when a nation and the world were attacked and a religion was hijacked. Over 3000 innocent civilians died in a matter of a few hours. The events not only caused deep wounds for the friends and relatives of the victims, but also for a proud nation as well as for the members of the faith of the alleged hijackers who lost several hundred of their own in the World Trade Center destruction.

Dr. Shahid Athar, a physician and a leader in interfaith, was asked many times by Americans the difference between terrorism and true Islam. "Healing the Wounds of September 11, 2001" is a collection of his speeches, writings and poems after the sad event. It highlights his feeling as an American Muslim. The book also includes letters of support that he received from other Americans. One of them is his Catholic friend in Islamic-Catholic dialogue, Sister Mary Margaret Funk, who wrote the forward to the book. She says "Dr.Athar's words need our attention, not only if we want to make sense of September 11th, but also be healed of our wounds. If you are looking for a Muslim view that is balanced, articulate and compelling, this book by Dr. Athar will give voice to that aspiration."

"Healing the Wounds of September 11, 2001" offers interfaith understanding, respect for diversity and spirituality as means to heal such wounds: Dr. Saiyyid M. Syeed, an American Muslim leader and Secretary General of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), an admirer of Dr.Athar's writings, wrote the introduction to the book. He calls this book "a jihad against hate and bigotry" and the author "a dedicated warrior who has done a great job in opening the doors of mind and windows of understanding".

The book has 32 easy to read articles and poems. It also includes letters from President George W. Bush and Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) that Dr. Athar received. Dr. Athar is the author of 7 other books". .
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2003-11-06 Thu 04:52ct