What Allah Wants Her to Be

April 30, 2007

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What Allah wants her to be By KATHLEEN D. BAILEY Special to the Union Leader Sunday, Apr. 29, 2007 Exeter – They wore long skirts and head scarves, business suits, jeans and sweaters. One tee nage girl wore a head scarf and jeans. They came from a rich mix of countries, including America, and spanned […]

Conflict Management–The SALAM Model

April 28, 2007

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Dr. Iqbal Unus, International Institute of Islamic Thought The English acronym SALAM is a transliterated version of the corresponding Islamic terms. I want to use the letters of SALAM to refer to a process of dealing with conflict. The SALAM model points to a systematic way of approaching the conflict and moving towards a fair […]

Islamophobia 101–Episode 15: The case of the “Towel-head Sniper”

April 27, 2007

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Source: nbc4.com ARLINGTON, Va. — Federal Officials said an Arlington man faces a slew of charges after he allegedly sent e-mails to family members threatening to kill Arab women and Latinos. The FBI arrested 57-year-old Charles Gerbino Thursday morning in his Arlington home. Video: Watch The Report Related: Excerpts From Threatening E-Mail (WARNING: Remarks May […]

Muslim Virginia Tech Student Gave His Life To Save Others

April 26, 2007

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Sources: The New York Times and The Muslim Observer A survivor of the Virginia Tech massacre has been describing how a colleague died to protect others. Although badly injured, graduate student Waleed Shalaan distracted gunman Cho Seung-Hui to save another person from his bullets. Waleed saved another student’s life. The surviving student, who wishes to […]

New 2007 Poll: Muslims Believe US Seeks to Undermine Islam

April 24, 2007

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Source: World Public Opinion, 24 April 2007, 14:00 GMT Contact: Steven Kull, 202-232-7500 College Park, MD—A poll of four major Muslim countries has found that in all of them large majorities believe that undermining Islam is a primary goal of US foreign policy. Most inhabitants from these countries want US military forces out of the Middle […]

Poll Finds World Publics Reject U.S. Role as the World Leader

April 19, 2007

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Source: The Chicago Council on Global Affairs A multinational poll finds that in 10 out of 15 countries, the most common view is that the United States cannot be trusted to “act responsibly in the world.” Respondents were allowed to choose whether the United States could be trusted “a great deal,” “somewhat,” “not very much” […]

Posted in: FYI

She is a Muslimah, a Former University Dean of Engineering, and a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do

April 18, 2007

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TU THANH HA From Tuesday’s Globe and Mail MONTREAL — When news came that young Muslim girls had been turned away from a tae kwon do competition in Quebec because they wore Islamic head scarves, one of the people upset was the former dean of engineering of the University of Ottawa. Aside from being an […]

In Memoriam: Our Condolences to The Virginia Tech Community

April 17, 2007

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To the victims who survived the massacre at Virginia Tech yesterday, and to the relatives and friends of those who did not, we offer our best wishes and pray that God uplifts you during these difficult times. May God Bless you all. Rafik Beekun

Posted in: FYI

Islamophobia 101–Episode 14: Florida Mosque Set on Fire by Arsonists

April 14, 2007

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Source: Abbie Vansickle, St Petersburg Times Someone deliberately set fire Thursday morning to the Islamic Education Center of Tampa,Florida, a mosque tucked into a neighborhood of tidy suburban homes in Town ‘N Country, according to Hillsborough Fire Rescue and the FBI. Whether hate fueled the fire remained under investigation, said FBI Special Agent Dave Couvertier. […]

The Role Of A Muslim Doctor

April 14, 2007

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Dr. Mahmoud Abu – Saud (Edited by Shahid Athar , M. D.) and reprinted here with permission. Disease and Cure “Perfect health” is a wish that humans crave for. They know that they can never attain this state of perfection, if only because they cannot conceive what is “perfect”. Accordingly, they satisfy themselves with a […]

UAE Economy Most Competitive in Arab World

April 12, 2007

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Source: Arab News and the World Economic Forum DOHA, 11 April 2007 — The United Arab Emirates has the most competitive economy in the Arab world, according to the third Arab World Competitiveness Report 2007, released yesterday by the World Economic Forum. This report has been a major driver of efforts to advance economic reform […]

High Street Account For Muslim Businesses

April 11, 2007

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Source: AWD Money Extra Lloyds TSB has announced the launch of a high street Islamic business account. The account, which complies with Islamic law (Shariah), is available across the bank’s 2,000 branches, and will be open to the UK’s estimated 100,000 Muslim firms. There are two separate accounts on offer. Businesses with a turnover of […]

Good Samaritan 101–Jews and Israelis Seeking to Help Palestinian Trade

April 10, 2007

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Source: BIG April 2, 2007 The latest report of the International Development Select Committee regarding the Occupied Palestinian Territories (31 January 2007) makes for very distressing reading. In its section on trade, it refers to the ongoing restrictions in movements and access faced by the OPT, citing an OXFAM report which points out “that transaction […]

Eco-friendly = Islamic = Ethical = Profitable

April 9, 2007

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Source: Jamal Badawi and Rafik Beekun Mar. 30 – Islam has from the beginning stressed the role of man in protecting the environment. As Allah’s vicegerents on earth and as suggested by the Prophet (s), we need to take good care of our environment. As indicated by Jamal Badawi, the Prophet of Islam was keenly aware […]

Posted in: Ethics & Morals, Islam

Finland Issues A Stamp Commemorating Ahmad Deedat

April 4, 2007

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A Short Biography of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat Sheikh Ahmed Hoosen Deedat was born on the 01 July 1918 in the Surat district of India in 1918. His father emigrated to South Africa in 1927 with him. Ahmed Deedat was a very bright student and excelled in school. Lack of finance interrupted his schooling and at […]

Prohibition of Alcohol and Drugs in Islam

April 3, 2007

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The general rule in Islam is that any beverage that get people intoxicated when taken is unlawful, both in small and large quantities, whether it is alcohol, drugs, fermented raisin drink, or something else. In his book Al-Halal wal Haram fil Islam (The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam) Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi states the following: […]

Saudi Arabia Bans 107 Firms From Employing Foreign Workers

April 1, 2007

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Samir Al-Saadi, Arab News JEDDAH, 1 April 2007 — The Ministry of Labor has warned employers that it is serious about Saudization and has banned 107 companies from recruiting foreign workers because they have failed to meet Saudization targets. Twelve of the 107 companies had a zero percentage of Saudization and only eight of the […]

Alcohol: A More Dangerous Drug Than Marijuana And Amphetamine

April 1, 2007

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Table 1: Social and economic costs of alcohol abuse for selected countries Country Year Total Cost Estimate % of GDP Australia 1998–1999 A$ 7560.3 million N.A. Canada 1992 $7.52 billion 1.1 Chile N.A. $2.969 billion N.A. Finland 1990 $3.351-5.738 billion N.A. France 1997 115 420.91 FF 1.42 Ireland N.A. €2.4 billion N.A. Italy 2003 €26–66 […]

Muslims in the European Union: Discrimination and Islamophobia

March 28, 2007

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“What happened on 11 September was like a catalyst, you know. Things which they never thought of saying publicly, from one day to another, they say it publicly now. Before, there was a lot of ‘political correctness’ but after 11 September all political correctness went within seconds.” (Male, Germany) “I have heard it many times […]

Islamophobia 101–Episode 13–Wafa Sultan: Reformist or Opportunist?

March 26, 2007

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 Rafik Beekun  To put into perspective Wafa Sultan’s attacks against Islam,  I am first including as comprehensive a list of video clips as I can.   Her attacks on Islam focus on the Islamic Sources (specifically the Qur’an), the civilizational role of Islam and at times on Muslims.  Since her knowledge of Islam is very limited, and her […]

What You Should Never Include In A Work E-mail

March 25, 2007

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By Rafik Beekun at the Islamic Workplace blog. We are often careless when using e-mail at work. Sometimes, we write stuff we should not because we are under stress, or we may communicate personal, confidential information. Unfortunately, in the U.S., all work e-mails remain the property of the company or organization we work for. As […]

The United States, For All Its Faults, Has Contributed Greatly To Islam And Muslims

March 25, 2007

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By Muqtedar Khan American foreign policy sins are numerous and some are even unforgivable — like the invasion of Iraq, which was based on false accusations and has resulted in much death and destruction. But to judge America by its neo-conservative foreign policy would be like judging Islam by what some radical, violence-prone Muslims have […]

Migrant Workers in Saudi Arabia: Similarities Between Sponsorship and Slavery

March 22, 2007

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Source: Arab News Abeer Mishkhas A SAUDI teacher in Samta Governorate has confessed to the police that she tortured an Indonesian house cleaner who was hospitalized and later died due to the severity of her injuries. The woman torched the cleaner and also struck her a number of times on the head; the cleaner suffered […]

Canadians Interact Least with Muslims and Favor Hijab Ban

March 21, 2007

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by  JEFF HEINRICH Source: The Gazette (Montreal), p. A3, News [In an Environics poll conducted recently], Canadians said they interact with blacks most – 69 per cent said they’re in contact with them often or occasionally. Chinese were next (65 per cent), then East Indians and Pakistanis (54 per cent), aboriginals (54 per cent), Jews […]

Profiling At US-Canadian Border Hampers Livelihood of Muslims

March 20, 2007

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Source: The Globe and Mail (Canada) March 20, 2007 Tuesday The federal government must pressure U.S. border authorities to stop racial and religious profiling of Canadian Muslims and Arabs, the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations said yesterday. [more] “The livelihood and future of Canadian citizens cannot be halted without just cause.” Mahmoud Zeitoun, a student […]

Target Stores Offer Muslim Employees Acceptable Alternatives

March 20, 2007

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Steve Karnowski, Associated Press, 3/19/07 Muslim cashiers at some Minneapolis Target stores who object to ringing up products that contain pork are being shifted to other positions where they don’t need to, the discount retailer said Saturday. The Star Tribune reported last week that some Muslim cashiers at local Targets had declined to scan pork […]

Muslims Look To Athletes As Faith Ambassadors

March 19, 2007

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By Omar Sacirbey Religion News Service […] “It can be a struggle growing up Muslim in America,” said Saleem, whose family emigrated from Pakistan shortly before he was born. “So when you see other Muslims doing and succeeding at the sports you love, that can’t help but give you a lift.” In their primes, Ali […]

Contradicting Islam, Some Muslims Are Violating The Laws of the Country They Reside In

March 15, 2007

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Source: ABC Premium News (Australia) Australia: Federal Assistant Treasurer Peter Dutton has asked the Tax Commissioner to investigate reports that some hardline Muslim clerics are encouraging people to cheat the tax system. A newspaper report today suggests some extremist clerics are advocating tax avoidance because they say paying tax is contrary to Islamic law. Mr […]

Investing in Islamic Mutual Funds Based on Iman (Faith)

March 13, 2007

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Morningstar.com Putting Faith in Religious Mutual Funds Tuesday March 13, 7:00 am ET By David Kathman, CFA Socially responsible investing has become increasingly popular in recent years, with lots of mutual funds available for investors who want to keep their portfolios in line with their ethical beliefs. Most such funds avoid alcohol and tobacco stocks, […]

For Muslim Women, Education and Economic Empowerment Are Keys to a Better Life

March 11, 2007

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By Margaret Besheer, VOA Washington 05 March 2007 International Women’s Day Thursday highlights women’s struggle for equality, justice, peace and development. For many it is a day to celebrate progress. For others, it is a reminder of just how far they still must travel. (Note from Rafik Beekun: As an example of how far our […]

Report: FBI Has Repeatedly Misused the Patriot Act

March 9, 2007

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By Declan McCullagh Staff Writer, CNET News.com The FBI has repeatedly misused the Patriot Act’s extraordinary surveillance powers by obtaining information on Americans unlawfully, the Justice Department’s inspector general said Friday in a report that already has drawn promises of a congressional investigation. The 199-page report, which found “serious misuse” of the surveillance power (please […]

The Cost of ‘Progress’: Commercialization of Islam’s Holiest Site in Makkah

March 8, 2007

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Source: The New York Times by Hassan M. Fattah Five times a day across the globe devout Muslims face this city in prayer, focused on a site where they believe Abraham built a temple to God. The spot is also the place Muslims are expected to visit at least once in their lives. Now as […]

Serious Considerations in Mixed Groups: Interacting with Members of the Opposite Sex At Work

March 5, 2007

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Source: Arab News. Reprinted here with permission. Dr. Abd Al-Haleem Abu Shuqqah Note from Rafik Beekun: This article is reproduced here because of the increased interaction between men and women in the workplace, and the need for Muslims and Muslimahs to understand and abide by the Islamic etiquette of conduct among members of the opposite […]

Ranking of Flexibility of Labor Regulations in Middle Eastern and North African Countries

March 4, 2007

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The dimension of worker employment in this World Bank survey measures the flexibility of labor regulations, and is summarized in the fifth column in the table below. It examines the difficulty of hiring a new worker, rigidity of rules on expanding or contracting working hours, the non-salary costs of hiring a worker, and the difficulties […]

Faith-based versus Faith-friendly Companies in the US

March 4, 2007

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By Marc Gunther, Fortune senior writer January 17 2007 NEW YORK (Fortune) — […] [According to] David Miller, a minister, author and former business executive. Ford, American Express and Tyson Foods are among the better-known faith-friendly firms. Minister, author and former business executive David Miller is currently executive director of the Yale Center for Faith […]

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Human Resource Overview: Salaries, Cost of Living and Loyalty

March 2, 2007

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February 2007 Regional economies continue to enjoy an unprecedented boom with growth in 2006 and 2007 projected at an average of 6-7%, similar to the rate of the past 3 years, and exceeding the global growth rate which is projected at slightly over 5% for the period. It is against this backdrop that Bayt.com and […]

Saudi Arabia Declares War on Corruption

March 1, 2007

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JEDDAH, 20 February 2007 — Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers yesterday approved a National Strategy to Protect Honesty and Combat Corruption. It also decided to facilitate administrative procedures and question dishonest officials, irrespective of their positions, as part of a major move to root out all forms of corruption from the country. The weekly Cabinet […]

Hispanics Coming Back to Islam in the U.S.

February 27, 2007

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By Amy Green | Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor ORLANDO, FLA. – With her hijab and dark complexion, Catherine Garcia doesn’t look like an Orlando native or a Disney tourist. When people ask where she’s from, often they are surprised that it’s not the Middle East but Colombia. That’s because Ms. Garcia, a bookstore […]

Faith as The Great Divide in Britain: The Battle Between Believers and Non-believers

February 27, 2007

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Stuart Jeffries Monday February 26, 2007 The Guardian The American journalist HL Mencken once wrote: “We must accept the other fellow’s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart.” In Britain today, such wry tolerance is diminishing. Today, it’s […]

Interfaith Group Breaks Down the Wall of ‘Islamophobia’

February 26, 2007

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By: NICOLE SACK – Staff Writer TEMECULA —- When U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison was sworn in as the first Muslim member of Congress in January, the Minnesota Democrat took his oath of office on a copy of the Quran that had belonged to the author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the […]

Freedom of Faith at Work: A Major Issue for US Muslims

February 25, 2007

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BY SHANNON PRATHER Pioneer Press School bus driver Seham Nabry says her boss confiscated her prayer mats and complained that her ritual hand and feet washing messed up the office bathroom. She also says he blared Christian music and taunted Muslim workers as they prayed. Nabry said giving up her daily prayers — one of […]

Woman Minister Gunned Down For Not Wearing Proper Islamic Dress

February 25, 2007

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by Azhar Masood and Agencies Arab News ISLAMABAD, 21 February 2007 — A suspected militant yesterday shot dead Punjab’s minister for social welfare while she was about to address a meeting in Gujranwala. Fayyaz Chattha, the district administrator of Gujranwala, told Arab News a serial killer shot the minister, Zille Huma Usman, wounding her seriously. […]

Islamophobia 101: Episode 12–Hate crimes against Mosques and Muslims On The Rise Post 9-11

February 23, 2007

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Below, I have included only a sample of the hate crime incidents for which video clips are available.  It is important to note that these incidents have occured over the last two years, and across several states in the USA.  My intent is not to suggest that these incidents are connected; I simply aim to demonstrate that […]

Listening to Music (during work breaks or for leisure): Fatwa from Sheikh Yusuf Qardawi

February 22, 2007

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From Islamonline.net [With respect to] music and why it is permissible, here is the clarification for that in the light of fatwa issued by Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi: The whole issue of singing is controversial, whether it is with musical accompaniment or not. Some issues succeeded to gain the Muslim scholars’ agreement, while others failed. All scholars […]

Important information for MBA Applicants to US Business Schools

February 21, 2007

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US Business Schools are generally recognized as being among the best in the world.  Islam encourages excellence in everything that you do.  Hence, if you wish to excel in the workplace as a businessperson, a leader or an entrepreneur, you may consider applying to some of these schools.   If you are planning to apply to […]

Saving the world with a cup of yogurt

February 21, 2007

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Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the father of microcredit, has a new idea. It’s called social business enterprise, and the first step is a yogurt factory in Bangladesh. Fortune’s Sheridan Prasso reports. By Sheridan Prasso, Fortune January 29 2007: 1:54 PM EST (Fortune Magazine) — Along a dirt road in Bangladesh’s green, fertile heartland, […]

Islamic Pakistan to get its own whisky

February 20, 2007

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Source: money.cnn.com January 31 2007: 9:52 AM EST KARACHI (Reuters) — Predominantly Muslim Pakistan, where most people are banned from drinking alcohol, is set to get a domestically produced, 20-year-old single malt whisky, an official at the company making the drink said Wednesday. The whisky is due to go on sale in July to non-Muslims, […]

Posted in: Ethics & Morals, Islam

New BBC Poll Finds Significant Middle Ground between Islam and The West

February 19, 2007

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VIEWS OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSLIM AND WESTERN CULTURES Can find common ground Violent conflict inevitable France 69% 23% Germany 49% 39% Great Britain 77% 15% India 35% 24% Indonesia 40% 51% Italy 78% 14% Kenya 46% 35% Lebanon 68% 26% Nigeria 53% 37% Turkey 49% 29% US 64% 31% By Roger Hardy BBC Islamic affairs […]

Careers: Average Starting Salaries for University Graduates in US for 2007

February 18, 2007

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Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers and Most Lucrative Degrees for 2007 Grads. Average salaries are per year in US$.  Employment requires being a US citizen, or the possession of a green card already.  On occasion, a company may sponsor citizens of foreign countries in areas of critical need and scarcity in the U.S.–this type of […]

Good Samaritan 101: Mr. Aguilar, Spanish Minister of Justice

February 17, 2007

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Congratulations to  the Spanish Minister of Justice, Mr. Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, for taking a stand against gender discrimination in Saudi Arabia. During an official visit to Saudi Arabia last month, Mr. Aguilar was invited to speak at Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University. When the Minister learned that female journalists traveling with him would […]