Muslim Voice August 2011

VoiceMusliM VoiceMonthly Newspaper | Vol.15 Issue No.179 | August 2011 Shaban / Ramadan 1432H

FREE

www.AZMuslimVoice.com

A M E R I C A N - M U S L I M S C O M M U N I T Y N E W S P A P E R

The Perils of Anti-immigration Politics:Lessons From Oslo

Join our Facebook group to meet other Muslims in Phoenix

Group name: Muslim Voice

See ad page 9

9552Companies Profit From Increased Immigrant Detention Rate

4 Tips for a Better Eid Al-Fitr and Post-Ramadan Year

Ramadan: A Time to Reflect on Healthy Lifestyles 13

Pax Academy Student Wins International Art Award!

To Veil or Not to Veil; is it really a choice?

12/4

Sandwiches Salads

Pastries

10am-9pm7 Days

Golden ValleyUZBEK & MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE

8115 N. 19th Ave. A 101 • Phoenix,AZ 8502119th Ave. & Northern

Albertsons Shopping Center, Near Oreilly Auto Parts

Tel: 602-861-4055

Palov • Lagman • Samsa Kebabs • Shawarmas

Appetizers • Falafel • Shrimp

Chef Shovkat-38 years experienceAuthentic Family Recipes

Delivery available (call for details)www.goldenvalley-llc.com

Lunch Specials from $4.99

Dinner Specials from $5.99

Halal Meat

SALAMT V A Z . c o m

DURING THISRAMADAN

First Post, News Analysis,

Sandip Roy

If you are an immigrant in Europe, especially a Muslim, you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t.

“At first, people thought Muslims were behind this,” said a Pakistani taxi driver in Oslo when the news of the bomb attack and the murderous shooting rampage initially hit the news. But soon it became clear that the man behind the mayhem was tall and blond. The right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik, 32, wanted to spark a revolution against immigration, Muslims and “multicultural Marxists.”

Déjà Vu—Oklahoma, Again

The Oslo attacks are eerily reminiscent of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, which killed 168 people. News organizations quickly reported investigators were looking for several Middle Eastern men. But within 48-hours they arrested the very all-American Timothy McVeigh. That’s a discovery that led to many media mea culpas about a rush to judgment.

What a difference 15 years, a September 11, a London subway bombing and a Madrid train explosion make.

No Muslim immigrant bought the fertilizer to make the bombs. No Muslim immigrant pulled the trigger. But the Oslo massacre will still put not only Breivik, but also immigrants in the dock.

Kenza Drider, a French Muslim of North African descent, wears a niqab outside the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in this file photo. France banned on full face veils exposing anyone who wears the Muslim niqab or burqa in public to fines of 150 euros ($216) and lessons in French citizenship. Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters.

There is already enough hysteria against immigrants in Europe coming all the way from the top down to the man on the street. “Multiculturalism is a failure,”

French President Nicholas Sarkozy has declared. The right-wing Progress Party in Norway and Pim Fortuyn’s LPF in the Netherlands rose to power by bashing immigrants.

Yet no political party, no matter how anti-immigrant, will acknowledge Breivik — this thing of darkness — as theirs. They will instead want to steer the conversation back to the “failures of multiculturalism” that have driven an all-Norwegian man to such desperate measures.

Yes, there is a failure of multiculturalism here but it’s not the kind Sarkozy is talking about.

That failure is revealed in one striking difference. If a Muslim extremist had committed these horrendous acts, the whole community would have had to answer for that act. It would be an act of “Islamic terrorism” and would lead to even more strident calls to reform the entire immigrant system.

Breivik wanted to recreate a group like the Knights Templar, who protected Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land in medieval times. But his acts will not be called “Christian terrorism.” Breivik will remain an individual, a rotten apple. We will remember his name just as we remember the names of Timothy McVeigh and “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski.

How many remember the name Shahzad Tanweer? He was one of the men behind the July 7 London subway bombings. Those men were just lumped together as jihadists. Their identity is always defined by their community: Muslim, immigrant, or son of immigrants.

Clash of Civilizations?

This is not to say immigration has not brought with it a clash of values in Europe. The big fear is that multiculturalism has become all about tolerating the intolerant. And there is enough intolerance to go around on all sides. The fights over hijabs, female circumcision, honor killings, same-sex marriage and women’s rights are not trivial.

Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh was killed by a Moroccan immigrant incensed about his controversial film about women and Islam. The murder shook the Netherlands. Just before his death van Gogh had finished a film loosely based on the assassination of openly gay politician, and one-time Communist, Pim Fortuyn. He had risen to power by denouncing Islam as a “backward culture” and immigration as a threat that would unravel the liberal Dutch society. Fortuyn was assassinated by Volkert van der Graaf, who said he murdered him to prevent him from making Muslims scapegoats in his bid for political power.

Many liberals who support immigrants’ rights have to contend with the tough truth that many of these same immigrants do not share the same liberal values that they have. They won’t be fighting the good fight when it comes to other issues liberals hold dear, for example, same-sex marriage.

Not yet. Perhaps, never. But certainly it won’t happen as long as they find themselves always in the

crosshairs of suspicion in their adopted homeland. Europe complains its immigrants do not integrate quickly into European society, but it also makes it extremely difficult for the children of immigrants to become citizens. So Italy and France have whole generations, born and raised in those countries, which are still not Italian or French. They are changing the culture — and being changed by it — but don’t have a real place in this new Europe.

It’s Just Not Cricket

Europe has to face the fact that it has not opened its doors because of the goodness of its heart. It’s about necessity, not noblesse oblige. It’s, “Let the immigrants in because we need them to wash our clothes, and vacuum our shop floors.” Most of all, it needs them to change the bed pans of

its elders.

Europeans — even in staunchly Catholic Italy — are not having enough babies to provide the workforce that will pay for their grandparents’ pensions. Stuck between a rock and a hard place -- a falling birthrate and an aging population — it’s holding its nose and looking outside its borders.

What immigrants find is a Europe that both needs them and looks down on them. La Padania, the newspaper of a right-wing political party in Italy, had a front-page headline that proclaimed, “Not Enough Jobs -- Send Them Back.”

A few years ago The Sun newspaper in the UK went to town with the sensational Swan Bake story. Apparently, refugees in Britain were barbecuing the Queen’s swans in her royal parks. It triggered much ado about barbarian asylum seekers, who didn’t respect English

values. The Sun even published a photograph of immigrants with the caption “Immigrants like these are blamed for eating the birds.” It was the story that was cooked up, not the swans.

Thanks to immigrants, cities like Rome now have several cricket clubs. The Italian team even won the Under-15 European championship. But their national pride was short-lived, said journalist Enzo Mangini. Because of Italy’s citizenship laws, it turned out that only a couple of the team members were actually Italian.

At some level, Europe’s vision of multiculturalism has been this: Brown people can come to change its soiled sheets and mop its floors, but bring with them only their shawermas and doner kebabs, yummy “ethnic” cuisine everyone likes as long as it’s not too spicy. The rest of their cultural baggage — and citizenship right -- they can leave at the border. But it doesn’t work that way.

RamadanMubarak

Vote on www.azmuslimvoice.com

Poll:

Do you believe that having Muslim owned and run TV channel can improve the image of Islam and Muslims in Arizona?

Do you think Oslo’s attacks will impact the way Muslims are viewed in the US?

Last month’s results:

Yes No

Yes 100%No 0%

AUGUST 2011 www.AZMuslimVoice.com2 CARTOON / LOCAL

List of advertisers

TERMS USED IN THIS PAPER

Alhamdulilah: Praise GodAllah: Arabic word for GodFatwa: Islamic decision based on Shari’aHadith: Sayings of the Prophet Moham-madHajj: Pilgrimage to MeccaHalal: Allowed in IslamHalaqa: Group studyHaram: Prohibited in IslamHijab: Head cover for womenHijra: Migration of the Prophet from Mecca to MadinaImam: Islamic scholarIman: FaithInshallah: God willingMadina: City near Mecca in Saudia ArabiaMasjid: Place were Muslims gather for prayer and studiesMecca: City in Saudi Arabia where Prophet Mohammad was bornPbuh: Peace be upon himQuran: Islam’s Holy bookShahadah: Is saying “I accept Allah as the one God and Mohammad as his messen-ger” when someone accepts Islam.Sharia’: Islamic lawShura: A council of Muslim scholars(SWT) Subhanahu Watala: Praise be to AllahTaqwa: God consciousness

MUSLIM VOICEAMERICAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Published Monthly

PUBLISHER BREEK PUBLISHING INC.

EDITOR IN CHIEF MARWAN AHMAD

[email protected]

COMMUNITY EDITOR JANAN ATIYEH

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Sumbal Akhter • Mohamud Shalab• Fathiyyah Bashshar • Ahmad Daniels

• Dana Saleh • Yousef Ahmad • Hasan Mostofo

• Hasana Abdul-Quadir

ART DESIGN EXPRESS

OSAMA ASWAD

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS EDITOR

Advertisements

[email protected]

MUSLIM VOICE1624 W. Thomas

Phoenix, AZ 85015

Phone: (602) 258-7770Fax: (602) 258-7494

email: [email protected]

Deadlines for submission of letters is the 20th of every month, and for advertisements by the 25th. Only letters and articles submit-ted on disk or email will be accepted for review. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any letters, articles or advertisement or any other material. The Publisher will not be liable for more than the advertisement cost in case of an error. The Muslim Voice is not responsible for the contents of advertisements or articles nor endorses them in any way or form.

M SAICmedia network

Member of:

www.mosaicmadianetwork.net

Attorneys•Immigration Attorneys, 602-234-0782 •Susan Bassal, 480-664-4555

Banquet Hall•Hacienda Las Palomas, 602-510-5506

Beauty Salons•Ragtops Day Spa & Salon, 602-677-2786

Education•Arizona Cultural Academy, 602-454-1222•PAX Academy, 480-659-6714

Fashion•Nada Fashions.com, 480-388-6970

Furniture•The Mansion Furniture, 602-253-4727•Family Furniture on 19th 602-721-2357

Grocery Stores•Star Market, 602-942-1950•Salam Market 480-967-8009•Haji Baba 480-894-1905•Princess Market 480-894-1499

Investment•Investology inc., 703-459-0969

Physicians•Phoenician Women’s Care, 480-496-2651•Inayat M. Alikhan, 480-945-2558•Farkhanda Khan, M.D. 480-722-0239•M.B. Khan, M.D. 480-722-0239•Desert Women’s Care 480-559-4776•Halal Massage Therapy 602-503-2715

Real Estate•Noma Group INC., 602-625-9357•Shahnawaz Currim, 480-839-2600•Fady Abuhmaidan, 602-300-7332 •Mohamed & Somaya Hegazy 602-326-3552

Others•Amana Income Fund, 888/37-AMANA

Pax Academy Student WinsInternational Art Award!

Pax Academy’s very own Shohan Khan was in Washington DC on June 16-18, 2011 to attend the World Children’s Day where his winning art work as Arizona Finalist in the Fourth International Child Art Olympiad was exhibited.

The 4th WCF on The National Mall on June 17-19, 2011 was unlike any other educational/entertainment event in our history or anywhere in the world. The core WCF delegates were 8- to 12-year-old U.S. and international winners of the 4th Arts Olympiad – an art and sport program endorsed by the U.S. Olympic Committee; the “DC Ambassadors” selected through the Arts Olympiad in DC public schools; and 6- to 16-year-old musicians and performers selected

by online voting or distinguished juries. The sequencing of WCF’s educational programming was based on the ICAF’s Peace through Art methodology, published in The Lancet in 2006.

The Fourth International Child Art Olympiad is an international art competition for children held every four years by the International Child Art Foundation. Over 15,000 art submissions from children aged 8-11 years are entered in a juried competition. There are 100 finalists, 50 from the United States (one per state) and 50 from the rest of the world. These winning art works are then exhibited in Washington DC during the World Children’s Day.

Earlier this year, the Future City middle school team from Pax Academy won two awards at the Regional Finals of the Future City Competition. Their city, Heartville, won the all-round Award of Distinction, as well as the Award for Best Transportation System from the Intelligent Transportation Society. ITS later honored them at a luncheon where the team members: Mustafa Bouanani, Iman Bouanani and Kiram Tung were pleasantly surprised to see themselves on a huge wall poster as well as on a traffic sign in downtown Phoenix.

Pax Academy is a PreK-9 private school and enrichment center located in Tempe, AZ.

AUGUST 2011www.AZMuslimVoice.com 3WORD ON THE STREET 3As a community, how do you think we could

improve ourselves this Ramadan?Muslim Voice

By Hasana Abdul-Quadir

Abdurazak Abdurhman - As a community and firstly individually, we can use the month of Ramadan to better ourselves. During the year, we get carried away with various tasks, and we neglect the amount of time we are involved with the mosque or just the amount of time we are helping even by merely giving

our time. During Ramadan, we can involve ourselves in the good actions that benefit us and our community. We have a beautiful opportunity during the month of Ramadan to grow spiritually and mentally by reflecting on why we are even fasting; by being sincere in all our actions, and by getting closer to Allah with the actions that please him. Overall, we are blessed to experience a month so beautiful and important, we should gain from the blessing of Allah, we should increase our Eman, increase our love for the community, and increase our sincerity. InshaAllah, we all have a blessed month of love [and] growth, and full of reward.

Ayman Alhadheri - If there’s one reoccurring lesson we learn from Ramadan, it’s that a sense of community is encouraged. Almost everything we do in Ramadan includes the whole community; from the sahoors and iftars at masajid and community centers, to the nightly taraweeh and qiyams. Let’s take this opportunity to reassess goals, link families, connect networks, and build bridges with our Muslim community and beyond. If we go into Ramadan with this mentality, we’ll soon realize that our limit is not just the sky. Allah (SWT) controls all limits, and he’ll aid those who strive for the betterment of the entire community.

Priyanka Patwari - Ramadan is the time to rejoice. It is the time to get involved become united and strengthens the Muslim community. During this blessed month, we should strive to pray together more often, to break fast together more often and always try to occupy ourselves in activities and events where we can increase our knowledge and taqwa together. As a community we need to motivate one another and help to strive for the best Ramadan. In our community, we need to bring all of our

Muslim brothers and sisters together as one Ummah, not subdivided into their regional mosque. Most importantly, we need to maintain the strong connection amongst ourselves even after Ramadan is over.

Jaime Steele - This Ramadan, we as a community can refresh ourselves for carrying out our duties to Allah SWT. Fasting develops self control and helps us to overcome selfishness, greed, laziness and other faults. Rasulullah (SAS) spent his day in remembrance, recitation of Quran, learning and providing advice and training. His nights were spent in supplication and being humble unto Allah, seeking His help, support, victory and guidance. Let’s follow his example. More importantly reach out to our reverts and refugee Muslims by inviting them to break fast at [the] masjid, praying Taraweeh salat and being generous to the less fortunate. Teach our reverts some new surahs or verses from Quran. The feelings and lessons we experience should stay with us throughout the year. In Al Quran, Muslims are commanded to fast so that they may “become pious”. This piety and devotion is especially felt during Ramadan, but we all must strive to make the feelings and attitude stay with us during our normal lives. That is the true goal and test of Ramadan.

Jacki Shoyeb - Our community is blessed by having so many Ramadan programs, get-togethers, lectures, etc. But I think we should also focus on being more welcoming to our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters, especially those who don’t normally attend events at the masjid and new Muslims. Some easy first steps we can all do, inshallah, might be to invite a Muslim friend or relative to the masjid. Or if you see someone new at an event, give them a warm salaam and introduce yourself. It can mean all the difference.

Yusuf Masud - Ramadan is a time when everyone has energy that isn’t present in any other time of the year, and we have to use that energy in a positive way. Unity makes every community successful. As individuals seeking to improve our community, we need to put aside our differences and work together. Ramadan is also a time when we see many new faces. The best thing we can do is greet and embrace everyone to create a sense of belonging. Our mindset should be that the stranger that prays Tarawih next to me is just a friend I haven’t yet met.”

بقالوة

Start Your Petition For Residency Before The Law Is Changed!

WE CAN HELP YOU WITH:• Political Asylum• Fiancé Petition• Adjustment Of Status• Renewal Or Green Card• Review Immigration Status• Petition For US Citizenship• Certificate Of Naturalization• Visa In 72 Hours• Petition To Remove The Condi-

tion Of Residence• Review Immigration Status• Petition For Immediate Family

WE CAN HELP YOU IF:

•You Have An Employer Willing To Petition For You.

•If You Have Been In The United States Since 1993 And Have Not Left The US For More Than 45 Days. *With Qualified Petition

•If You Spouse Is A U.S. Citizen Or Permanent A Resident

IS YOUR LOVED ONE DETAINED? WE CAN HELP!We Can Help You With “Divorces, Child Support,

Modifications,Separations.”

We Can Begin Your Immigration Process

For $150*Corresponding charges may apply.

Call Us TodayFor Your FREE CONSULTATION!

Monday-Friday10:00am–8:00pm•SaturdaysWithAppointment

*PAYMENTPLANS

AVAILABLE

In CustomerSatisfaction

Carolin Putrus

IMMIGRATIONPetition for Immediate family Asylm/ Political Refugee

Abdurazak Abdurhman

Priyanka Patwari

Jacki Shoyeb

Ayman Alhadheri

Jaime Steele

Yusuf Masud

www. PhoeniciaCafe.com

PHOENICIA CAFE / BAKERYAND SALAM’S MARKET

616 S. Forest Ave.Tempe, AZ 85281

480-967-8009

ZABIHA HALAL MEATS & GROCERIESIN SALAM’S MARKET

PHOENICIA GRILL

1150 S. Gilbert Rd.Ste.# 104

Gilbert, AZ 85296

480-503-4976

زعتر لحم عجين وجبنة كنافة

خبز عربيطازج يوميا

فطاير

Mana’eesh

Halal Pizza

Daily FRESHPita Bread

Includ dates, soup, samboussa chicken or meat meal

$6.99IFTAR

Ramadan Specials

Kunafa

Special price for

Dates

Pies

12/2

Fatayers$6.99 / DZ

PHOENICIA CAFE & SALAM’S MARKET / BAKERY

AUGUST 2011 www.AZMuslimVoice.com4 LOCAL

11-1

0

Hijabi Hair Stylist

MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD

HAJI BABA

480-894-19051513 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe, AZ 85281

RESTAURANT, GROCERY & DELIFresh Quality • Low Prices • Cultural Needs

GIFTS • BOOKS • MAGAZINESHALAL MEAT

Owners Nabil Torfa & Zuhier Khatib

5% DiscountOff groceries

ongoin 07

Family Furniture on 19th

Great Quality Low Price

602-721-2357 • 602-266-05721947W.IndianSchoolRd.•Phoenix,AZ85015

12/1

PURCHASE A 5 PC BEDSET AND RECIEVE

A FREE QUEENMATTRESS

19 PIECES OF FURNITURE FOR YOUR ENTIRE HOME

FOR ONLY $1999.00That will include a sofa and loves eat, a coffee table, 2 end tables, 2 lamps, a dining table with 4 chairs, a queen bed with queen mattress, dresser/mirror and 1 night stand

Muslim Voice


Many Muslims would contend that the most dormant time inside a masjid is about 20 minutes after Jumuah. The crowds congregate for a short while, but then disperse, leaving

only a cool, empty prayer hall and the hum of the air conditioner. But some Jumuah-goers choose not to go straight home or to a restaurant. A group of high school and college students, and a few young business professionals are content eating pizza and keeping busy together in the Islamic Community Center (ICC) meeting room after Jumuah. After all, they are pursuing a passionate dream that they believe can make a great impact of the world someday.

Open to all Muslims, the Muslim Leaders of the America, or MLA, is a group that was founded by Arizona youth with the direction of Mr. Hosam Risha. “MLA is different from other Muslim youth groups because we are not here to service just one group of people,” says Public Relations Coordinator, Kerishma Tarin. “We are here to service everyone.” Born the “Muslim Leaders of Arizona,” MLA changed its name in order to accommodate all Muslim-Americans, rather than only Arizonans. “Even though we all currently live in Arizona, not everyone considers themselves ‘from’ here,” explains Tarin.

Friday MLA meetings feature student speakers, guest speakers, topics for

group discussion, and signature MLA activities. Member Lina Elzayyat recalls her intentions upon joining MLA. “I joined MLA because I thought it would be a good opportunity to be a part of a group connected to the Muslim community and to the ICC masjid. I’ve always been a member of MSA in high school and in ASU, but I think MLA gives a different experience

for Muslim youth/young professionals to work in solidarity with the masjid,” she explains.

Activities such as “MLA Feeding the Homeless” are among those that draw in the supporters. Once every month, the MLA group members and even

other community members gather together to make almost 1000 turkey sandwiches. They then carpool to a homeless shelter in Phoenix to distribute the sandwiches, water, and occasionally some other goods, like soda or popsicles. But the participants are constantly reminded by each other, and by guests to renew their intentions. Sheikh Uthman

Khan, a recent guest speaker at one of the MLA meetings, reminded the students that their work should be only for Allah. “You will never be able to make everyone happy,” he pointed out. “So why not try to make only Allah happy?” The students

practice making their intentions before the event, during the event, and afterwards in order to ensure that they are purely for Allah.

With their actions, the Muslim Leaders of America wish to make a statement. They wish to convey that they are not terrorists or unethical people. On the contrary, they want to show their true, caring nature for people of all races and religions, as well as give Da’wah to the public about Islam. They plan to further their Da’wah with their next big project, a play about the Prophet’s (S) message of Islam.

Even with the success of the newborn institution, the office members still have their concerns. “Every program you go to, it’s the same youth doing all the volunteer work,” says President, Khalid Risha. “We want to attract those who never take part in Masjid activities, and bring them in with open hands to help us help them.” But this does not dishearten the MLA members; on the contrary, they use the skills that they possess to attract more people to their cause. One member, Saiaf Abdallah, records the “Feeding the Homeless” events, edits the videos, and posts them on YouTube in order to publicize MLA’s activities.

With all the activities that MLA has planned for the year, the students’ aspirations continue to expand. “I see it becoming part of your very own morning and nightly news, where hopefully our efforts as Muslims will be shown,” says Risha. He is convinced that great Muslims will develop with the help of MLA, wishing “to watch a generation of leaders grow from it’s roots.”

Young Muslim Leaders Encourage Community Participation in Da’wah and Sadaqah

AUGUST 2011www.AZMuslimVoice.com OPINION 5

Phoenician Women’s Care

• Obstetrics• Gynecology• Ultra sounds with photos• Laparoscopic Surgery /Minimally Invasive• Annual Exams • STD Ch• Bilateral tubal ligation and contraception counseling

480-496-2651Call Today

Dr. Mirna Demirdjian, M.D.

Next Day/Same Day Appointments Available

We accept AHCCCS and most insurance plans

1343 N. Alma School Rd., Ste 175Chandler, AZ 85224

We have 2 locations for your convenience!

606 N. Country Club Dr, Ste 5 Mesa, AZ 85201

MIRNA DEMIRDJIAN, M.D. (Speaks Fluent Arabic, Armenian, Spanish and conversational Turkish and French)

Thomas Le, M.D. (Speaks fluent Vietnamese)

Diane Bajus, MS, CNP, CNM

Brittany Hamilton, CNM

Free Pregnancy

Tests

11/1

1

Pax Academy Awards in 2010-11:

Regional Future City Competition:

Heartville, by Iman Bouanani, Mustafa Bouanani, Kiram Tung):

Award of Distinction (all-round)

Best Transportation System Award (from ITS)

Fourth International Child Art Olympiad:

Shohan Khan: Arizona Finalist

☺15:1 student/teacher ratio

☺Arabic (or Chinese) PreK to 9

☺Prayer facilities available

☺ Afterschool Islamic Studies

☺Singapore Math & Mental Abacus

☺Character Education (Pro-Active Youth Development)

☺Spalding Language Arts

☺Classics-based English Literature

☺Computer literacy & MS certification

☺Inquiry-based sciences with emphasis on practicals

☺Global approach to Social Studies

☺PE: Fitness for Life; annual presidential fitness test

☺Principal: Dr. Fawzia Mai Tung

Register Now for Fall 2011!

Pax Academy

Join our Day School or pick from our

Enrichment Center’s array of courses!

Visit www.paxacademy.org for more details

And to sign up for our free online newsletter!

Ask us about Tax Credit scholarships! Existing

scholarships are transferrable.

We nurture your child’s innate gifts and talents!

$100 off day school registration with this flyer

Phone: 480-659-6714 Fax: 480-659-7320

E-mail: [email protected]

7541 S. Willow Drive Tempe, AZ 85283

Pax Academy

$100 off

11/1

0

Muslim Voice

By Ahmad Daniels

Let’s face it, not eating or drinking from sun up to sun down is not an undertaking for the faint of heart or spirit. Yet, millions of Muslims worldwide do so each and every year in keeping with one of the five pillars of Islam: Ramadan.

There is something to which all Muslims who fast can attest, going without food heightens one’s awareness to not only the fulfilling qualities of food but to the smell of food. Even those who steer clear of fast food establishments can not deny the smell of an aromatic burger wafting through your automobile as you drive along “junk food” lane. Just as there is a heightened awareness of the smell of food, many also know of an increased awareness of one’s overall physical state. This awareness stems in large part to the philosophy held and practiced by all. A philosophy that can be summarized in three categories: Traditional, Preventive, and Wellness.

“Health,” according to the World Health Organization, “is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” With this definition of “health” in mind, let’s look at the approach of one exemplifying a “traditional” mindset.

Traditional

We have all heard their words at one time or another, “My grandmother smoked two packs a day and lived to be 100!” Or “All that sweating from exercise is for the birds, if I get fat I can always go on a diet.” And how about, “Yes, I do burn the candle at both ends, if I get sick there is always a pill that will make me better.”

The emphasis is always on run it ‘til it

breaks. Not unlike the way many treat their automobiles; just keep on driving and driving until that dreadful date when the time comes the car just doesn’t start…just when you need it the most. Next is…

Preventive

When asked, “Why don’t you smoke?” Their response is, “I do not want to get cancer.”

Their reasons for exercising are all too familiar, “I don’t want to get fat.” As for their more evenly paced work ethic, “I am afraid of having a heart attack.” It is fear that drives them. Not unlike a new car that must be taken in for service every few thousand miles while under warranty. The motivation is the dreaded thought of losing the protection of the manufacture’s warranty. Finally there is…

Wellness

Wellness, by definition, is the process of continuously striving towards one’s level of optimal health. This proponent of wellness refrains from smoking because he/she wants to breathe the cleanest air possible. The decision to exercise regularly stems from their understanding the body is a temple and Allah’s spirit dwells within. They realize fully the benefits of pacing themselves and taking time to rest when necessary. The drive to excel is the equivalent of an automobile owner who loves his/her vehicle so much that its pristine operation and performance is an extension of self.

Ramadan, more than any other time of the year, provides four weeks of mental, physical, and spiritual introspection. It is a time of great humility and attention focused on those who are less fortunate than one’s self. It can also be a time to take into consideration how one views health and decisions daily being made that impact the quality and quantity of life.

Ramadan Mubarak and…

To your journey!

Muslim Voice


As Muslims, the month of Ramadan is a time for us to increase our worship of Allah. We are supposed to carry on what we learned with us to the rest of the year. Unfortunately, some of us lose much of Ramadan’s great lessons on one day: Eid Al-Fitr. Allah gave us Eid Al-Fitr as a time of celebration for the end of fasting. And while it is wonderful that so many people come to the Eid Salah to praise Allah, there are a few things that stand out on Eid. 1) Alhamdulillah, everyone wears their best clothes on Eid, but some of those clothes should not be considered their “best clothes.” Many of us make a conscious effort during Ramadan to dress Islamically, and then drop it on Eid. 2) In Ramadan, we practice the lesson of giving in charity, but yet we spend excessive amounts of money on unnecessary things during Eid. We forget that no matter what we do, we are still Muslims. When we pray and fast, we should do it Islamically; likewise, when we celebrate, we should also do it Islamically. In Surat Al-A’raf, Allah (SWT) says “O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer; eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.”

The problem with neglecting the lessons of Ramadan on Eid Day is that it sets the tone of our lifestyle for the rest of the year. Allowing ourselves to do certain un-Islamic things on Eid opens the door for other Haram, and could make us lose some of the great things we practiced during Ramadan. In order to stay true to ourselves and out of Shaitan’s path during Eid and afterwards, here are a few things that you and I could do:

1- Know your own limitations. Before and throughout Ramadan, pay attention to the things that wear you out. Try not

to go overboard on those things so that you have the energy and willpower to continue them throughout the rest of the year. Yes, Ramadan is a time when we do extra worship, but remember, many of the seemingly less significant things we do each day can be considered worship with the right intention. Remember, even a smile is a charity.

2 - Do one simple, but consistent good action each day. Choose something in the month of Ramadan that you feel you can do everyday for the rest of the year. It could be reading one surah per day, reading one hadith a day, praying a couple of Nafl prayers--whatever you feel that you can do. Then, after Ramadan is over, continue doing it for the rest of the year. Allah loves consistent, good actions.

3 - Pay attention to your flaws during Ramadan. Maybe you did not wake up for Fajr. Maybe you got angry at your sibling. Remember, Shaitan is locked up during Ramadan; these little things are our own mistakes. Try to fix them in Ramadan so that you have more control during the year. Focus on correcting a couple of them until the next Ramadan.

4 - Remember the values that make Ramadan so special. Before you go decide to wear that outfit or to spend $100 on a pair of shoes, think about the lessons we are taught in Ramadan. Try to implement those lessons during the year.

None of us are perfect, and we all have our shortcomings. But it does not mean we should accept our flaws; instead, we should continuously strive to make ourselves better. Please realize that this is not scholarly advice, just observations from a fellow Muslim. Of course, all of this advice is for myself before anyone else. May Allah grant us with a blessed Ramadan and a wonderful Eid, and enable us to continue the good actions we practice during Ramadan throughout the rest of the year. Ameen.

Ramadan: A Time to Reflect on Healthy Lifestyles

4 Tips for a Better Eid Al-Fitr and Post-Ramadan Year

AUGUST 2011 www.AZMuslimVoice.com6 LOCAL

New America Media, News Report, Valeria Fernández

PHOENIX -- People on both sides of the immigration debate in Arizona are skeptical of new research that shows a national decrease in the flow of illegal immigration from Mexico into the United States. But there is one thing they are certain of: undocumented immigrants are steering clear of the border state.

“I think they are just avoiding Arizona,” said Jesse Hernández, a real estate agent who works in the Maryvale neighborhood where the exodus of immigrants, due to the crackdown on illegal immigration and the implosion of the housing market, is especially visible. “They are going to California and other places. No matter how much worse things are in the U.S., they are still coming over here. It’s a human interest to look for a better opportunity.”

The survey, conducted by Douglas S. Massey, co-director of the Mexican Migration Project at Princeton University, showed that interest in migrating to the United States from Mexico has dropped and the net flow has gone to zero for the first time in 60 years. Apprehensions of Mexicans along the border have also fallen by 70 percent in the last 10 years.

Mark Krikorian, director for the Center of Immigration Studies (CIS), a Washington, D.C.-based conservative think-thank that advocates for less immigration, is also skeptical that the trend of migration could be changing.

“I think it’s clearly false. I don’t think there is any likelihood that we should see a significant end to Mexican immigration, without a change in U.S policy,” he said.

But he believes Arizona is a good example of how local state policies could be used to stem the flow of illegal immigration successfully.

“There’s no question that Arizona’s immigration laws have reduced the illegal population more than it would have happened without those laws,” he said.

Thousands of people left Arizona before the anti-immigration law SB 1070 went into effect last year. The law, considered the toughest in the nation at the time, made it a state crime for undocumented immigrants to live in Arizona and made them subject them to incarceration. Before it could be completely implemented, federal courts blocked key provisions of the law, leaving in effect aspects that prohibit cities and police departments from limiting immigration enforcement.

A study released last year by BBVA Bancomer Research, a financial institution in Mexico, found that 100,000 Latinos had fled the state in 2010. Based on remittance information, the study estimated that about 23,000 of them were Mexican nationals who returned to Mexico from June through September 2010.

Beyond SB 1070, says Krikorian, Arizona’s experience with another immigration law pushed immigrants away. That was an employer sanctions law passed in 2007 that made it mandatory for businesses to use a federal database known as E-Verify to check the immigration status of their new hires and also made them subject to penalties if they knowingly hired unauthorized workers.

It was Arizona’s success stemming the flow of illegal immigration that inspired other states to enact legislation similar to SB 1070, according to Krikorian. But he believes is too early to tell what will happen in places like Georgia that recently enacted legislation even tougher than the Arizona law.

Hernández, a former president of the Arizona Latino Republican Association (ALRA) who supported SB 1070 and

employer sanctions, recognized that a lot of businesses had to close their doors when they lost Latino customers as well as workers. But he argues it is the underpaying of these undocumented workers that hurts the Arizona economy.

While the absence of undocumented immigrants in places like Maryvale left behind shuttered houses and closed businesses, Hernández believes it has also opened the door for reinvestment in properties by people from Texas and Canada.

Al Preciado, another real state agent and member of the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has a different perspective.

“(The immigrants that left) didn’t cause the blight, it was the state legislators that caused the blight by enacting SB 1070,” said Preciado. “The same thing would be nationwide if we continue this trend.”

Preciado argues that the exodus of immigrants leaving Arizona has hurt the overall housing market by causing a decrease in the population that drives demand for homes.

“Real estate is really simple; demand drives real estate; what drives the value of a home is population. If you have no population, you have no demand,” he said.

A study released in March by the Center for American Progress (CAP), a progressive think tank in Washington, D.C., contrasts the economic effects of massive deportation with the effects of legalization of Arizona’s estimated half a million undocumented immigrants.

An enforcement-only approach could lead to a loss of 17.2 percent of total employment in the state and shrink the state’s economy by $48.8 billion, according to the report. Legalizing undocumented immigrants in the state, meanwhile, could increase employment

by close to 8 percent and increase state tax revenues by $1.68 billion.

Yet, defenders of laws like SB 1070, including its architect Republican Senator Russell Pearce contend the exodus of immigrants in the state has been a major victory to cut down the health services and education provided to their U.S.-born children.

Former Representative and Democratic leader John Loredo argues there’s nothing to celebrate about Arizona’s damaging of vital sectors of the economy like agriculture and construction by driving out their core workforce of immigrants.

“In reality all he (Pearce) has succeeded in doing is killing the Arizona economy and ensuring that the state is at rock bottom in terms of other states as they recover from this economic crisis,” said Loredo, who is also a political consultant.

It’s unclear how the drop in undocumented immigration could affect the rhetoric of the immigration debate in Arizona.

Earlier this year, the business community took a stand against a set of anti-immigration bills, concerned over a boycott on the state that has already cost $140 million dollars in losses to the convention and conferences industry since the passage of SB 1070. They successfully managed to muster sufficient conservative Republican votes to stop the bills.

But whether organizations like the Arizona Chamber of Commerce will continue to weigh in on these issues could depend on the political future of the architect of SB 1070, according to Loredo.

Republican Senator Russell Pearce could face a special recall election this November.

“What they choose to do in this recall election will determine how quickly our state rebounds economically,” said Loredo.

By Ayman Hakki

Syrian Americans and the Obama administration seem stuck in a holding pattern vis a vis the events in Syria. Most of us oppose the actions of the regime, but we are conflicted as to the best way to affect this long overdue change. Sadly change is not always for the best in that part of the world and a malevolent uprising is worse-not better-for Syria than its present corrupt authoritarian system. Stability vs. dignity is the title of the soap opera playing out on Syrian soil and being broadcast on the web

and the airways. As polarizing and real as it all seems, I have concluded that both sides are lying through their teeth.

Adding to the confusion are attempts by Syrian Americans to affect an official U.S. support for regime change. The Obama administration has reacted cautiously to the events in Syria, and some suspect that Israel is behind this wait-and-see attitude. Syrian Americans are a conspiracy prone group, and blaming Israel for U.S. inaction is easy. Again, it’s not as simple as that. The supporters of the regime say; Israel/Saudi Arabia/ neocons are behind this sedition, while

the detractors of the regime claim that Mossad is telling the US; cool it, we’ve had a stable border with Syria for 40 yrs and the election of a Hamas like government is not a good idea. How can two diametrically opposed concepts be embraced by Syrian Americans? It’s easy because to some degree both are plausible constructs.

The U.S. has no clear vision for a post Assad Syria, because Israel lacks a clear consensus policy. The Ideologues want Syria and its Brand destroyed, while pragmatists are happy to see Syria’s regime stay in power. This offers Syrian Americans an opportunity to

engage their government in affecting positive change and not just change that suits Israeli interests. Time’s running out on the Assad regime’s so called reform agenda, and the regime has signaled it s plan to hold on. This posture is not only driven by its wish to preserve its rule, it is guided by the need to protect the Alawites from the violence that awaits them if the opposition wins. Unless these two issues are uncoupled Syria’s doomsday scenario will play out, and everyone who cares about Syria loses. We Syrian Americans are best positioned to urge a rudderless administration to employ a

carrot and the stick approach to Syria.

We must resist asking for pressure on the regime and stopping at that. We must work diligently to secure our minorities’ before we request a method to help us empower the majority. The crux of the matter is; how do we promote minority rights before we even ask for majority rule. A creative outside the box approach to this thorny issue must be adopted. We are all waiting for someone to articulate a clearly stated vision that represents out hope for change, a change that’s free of reprisals and hatred.

Undocumented Immigrants Steer Clear of Arizona

Opposing Syria’s regime without proposing a vision for a more inclusive Syria is wrong

480-664-4555Kierland Corporate Center (Across from Kierland Barnes & Noble)

7047 E. Greenway Parkway, Suite 250 • Scottsdale, AZ 85254

• Family Law• General Practice• Fluent in Arabic and Spanish• Admitted to practice in all Arizona Courts, U.S. District Court (Federal Court) & Bankruptcy Court

• Former member of CNN’s White House Unit

The Law Firm of Susan Bassal

Susan Bassal

09/2

011

Internship with Muslim Voice

You can intern with the Muslim Voice Newspaper this semester. You

can write, photograph, edit, copy write or do general administrative

work.

This internship will count toward your credit hours at your college

or university. Space is limited,

for informationplease call 602-258-7770

or email us at [email protected]

LETTER TO EDITOR

AUGUST 2011www.AZMuslimVoice.com 7 LOCAL

New America Media, News Report, Valeria Fernández

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Republican Senator Russell Pearce, the darling of illegal immigration reform and architect of SB1070, one of the nation’s toughest immigration laws, will likely face a recall election next November.

But the bi-partisan group that secured 10,000 valid signatures surpassing the amount needed for the election say that’s only half the battle.

On Monday, supporters of Pearce filed a complaint asking a state judge to discard all the signatures in the petition, arguing among other things, that voters were misled by a statement explaining the reasons for the recall.

“It’s basically Russell Pearce trying to steal the election by canceling the election,” said Randy Parraz, co-founder of Citizens for a Better Arizona, who described the move as an “act of desperation” by the senator.

The legal challenge to the recall election came the same day that Republican Governor Jan Brewer distributed a nationwide e-mail request for donations in support of Pearce, who she called “a national leader in our fight to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and to secure our border.”

“His unwavering dedication to enforcing the rule of law will help save our country from an Obama administration dedicated to undermining our nation’s immigration laws,” she wrote in the e-mail.

Brewer linked supporters of the recall with organizers of an economic boycott against Arizona

in response to its passage of SB1070 in 2010, a claim Parraz was quick to deny.

“I think it is not factually based,” said Parraz. “We’ve never talked about the boycott or pushed it.”

The recall committee, established last January, includes conservative Republicans and members of the Mormon Church, as well as Latinos and people from all walks of life, said Parraz.

The group contends that Pearce, a conservative Republican and Mormon, has focused so much attention on his immigration crusade that other issues have simply fallen by the wayside, including securing funding for education and improving the state’s economy.

And that, says Parraz, is why his group succeeded in collecting more than 10,365 signatures from residents in the city of Mesa, 20 miles east of Phoenix, and covering much of Pearce’s legislative district.

A Rival Challenger

Rumors that Jerry Lewis, an ex-bishop and former high-ranking official in the Mormon Church, could be running against Pearce provided an added boost to organizers of the recall.

“For someone to have the courage to do it is formidable,” said Parraz, who added that his committee has not been involved in recruiting any candidates and didn’t know Lewis personally.

Lewis, 54, serves as the assistant superintendent at Sequoia Schools, a Mesa-based charter school. He is a 30-year resident of Mesa. He is expected to make an official announcement this week.

Still, supporters of Pearce say the election is his to loose. Having gone

undefeated in eight elections, Pearce enjoys strong support in District 18, which covers most of western and central Mesa. The district is highly conservative, with a high number of fellow LDS Church members who have traditionally lined up behind the Senate’s president.

Pearce, who remained quiet even after the governor formally called a special election, turned in a letter of defense on Friday to the Secretary of State as mandated by state law.

“I was born in Mesa and I share and promote the values of our great community: freedom, excelling schools, vibrant economic growth, job creation, balanced budgets, strong law enforcement and secure borders,” he said.

In the letter, which will appear on the ballot for the special election, Pearce makes no mention of SB 1070, the controversial immigration law that burnished his national image as an immigration hardliner.

A number of elements combine to make November’s election, if carried out, highly unique. It would mark the first time in Arizona’s history that a sitting state legislator would face a recall vote. The election itself, meanwhile, is to be non-partisan, meaning, that rival candidates would not have a letter next to their name identifying their political affiliation.

Yet, some observers say that too many candidates could fracture the vote at the polls and help Pearce. So far, no Democrat has expressed interest in running against Pearce.

Andrew Sherwood, who ran as the Democratic candidate for District 18 in 2010, said this time he will stay away.

“This recall is not about me, it’s about Russell Pearce,” said Sherwood in an interview with

NAM. “I will support the most viable candidate.”

Can another Republican and Mormon be that candidate?

Daryl Williams is a commercial trial attorney and a member of the Mormon Church. He’s been critical of Pearce in several public presentations, and says Pearce’s political views are at odds with the most recent pronouncements of the LDS church.

“He has played on the fact that he is a Mormon,” said Williams, but “the Church has taken a position that is inconsistent with the things that Pearce has done.”

In November 2010, the LDS church gave support to the Utah Compact, a five-point statement that acknowledges the contributions of immigrants to the economy, opposes the separation of families, and characterizes immigration as an issue that requires a humane solution rather than the criminalization of immigrants.

At the time, the LDS church also urged Congress to pass immigration reform.

Williams concedes that on the ground not everyone is pleased with the church pronouncements on illegal immigration.

And the possibility that Lewis could be running for office is already steering some controversy.

“I don’t personally know Mr. Lewis, but I’m sure he was recruited by Parraz,” said Matt Tolman, leader of the group Citizens who Oppose the Pearce Recall Committee. A fellow Mormon and resident of District 18, Tolman adds, “If that’s the case, I’m concerned that they have similar views.”

Parraz said even thought he applauds Lewis’ candidacy, there

are no connections between the two. Lewis could not be reached for comment.

Tolman describes the recall effort as “an abuse of the law,” arguing such moves should be reserved for politicians involved in criminal activity and that the recall committee “duped” voters into signing petitions.

“You can’t have it both ways,” says Parraz. “There were people who told us they didn’t want to sign the petition, there were people that were so excited they wanted as in their homes. You can’t dupe 10,300 people.”

No new candidates have emerged to challenge Pearce. Parraz believes other Republicans are reluctant to face the sitting president of the Senate and go against their own party.

One thing is certain, however: the election will be carried out at a breakneck pace.

Unlike during a regular general election, candidates will have just over three months to campaign. Petitions can be filed with the Secretary of State’s Office beginning Aug. 10, with 621 signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Parraz’s group plans to encourage those who signed the recall petition to show up at the ballot in November. Pearce’s supporters are expected to put up a similarly tough fight.

Observers note that Pearce’s defeat would mark a watershed for Arizona’s state legislature.

“It will moderate it greatly, “ said Todd Landfried, a spokesperson for Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform “When people see that we can really start addressing our problems, there would be no desire or interest to return him into office.”

Supporters of Arizona Senator Challenge Recall Efforts

Arizona Cultural Academy & College PrepTel(602)454-1222•www.azacademy.org•7810S.42ndPlacePhoenixAZ85042

Welcome

Friends and Family of ACA!

Learn about what ACA can do for your child !

Purchase tickets online at www.azacademy.org or you may purchase at the ACA office

Reserve Your Ticket Today!!!!

Guest Speaker

Imam Anas Hlayhel

Come share our vision

for success Inshaa Allah

in this

Blessed month of Ramadan.

RAMADAN KAREEM!

Adult Dinner

A choice of halal chicken or Salmon dinner

$35 on or before August 14, 2011

$40 on or after August 15, 2011

(Until Available)

Kids meal

halal chicken fingers, fries, cookies, and juice



(Until Available)

Friday, 08/19/2011 6:30 p.m.

hilton Mesa

1011 West Holmes Ave,

Mesa, AZ 85210

Arizona Cultural Academy & College Prep

13th Annual Fundraising Dinner

ACA is located at 7810 S. 42nd Pl,, Phoenix, AZ 85042 Ph:602-454-1222 Press 0

Welcome

Friends and Family of ACA!

Learn about what ACA can do for your child !

Purchase tickets online at www.azacademy.org or you may purchase at the ACA office

Reserve Your Ticket Today!!!!

Guest Speaker

Imam Anas Hlayhel

Come share our vision

for success Inshaa Allah

in this

Blessed month of Ramadan.

RAMADAN KAREEM!

Adult Dinner

A choice of halal chicken or Salmon dinner



(Until Available)

Kids meal

halal chicken fingers, fries, cookies, and juice



(Until Available)

Friday, 08/19/2011 6:30 p.m.

hilton Mesa

1011 West Holmes Ave,

Mesa, AZ 85210

Arizona Cultural Academy & College Prep

13th Annual Fundraising Dinner

ACA is located at 7810 S. 42nd Pl,, Phoenix, AZ 85042 Ph:602-454-1222 Press 0

Please attend…The ACA’s Thirteenth Annual Fundraising Iftar

August 19th, 2011 at 6:30 pm

Hilton Mesa hotel1011 West Holmes Ave, Mesa, AZ 85210

Guest speakers:Imam Anas Hlayhel

&Br. Munes Tomeh

Purchase tickets online or at ACA office$35/adult, $15/child (10 yrs & under)

(add $5 each on or after August 15th, if available)Thank you for supporting Islamic quality education

AUGUST 2011 www.AZMuslimVoice.com8 NATIONAL

President Obama is well aware of the devastating impact that any cuts in Social Security, either through direct benefit slashes or a formula change that virtually eliminates or dampens the already abysmally low cost of living increases, would have. In a ringing statement in 2008, then-Democratic presidential candidate Obama flatly said that more than two-thirds of Social Security recipients rely on Social Security for more than half of their monthly income.

But Obama also gave a guarded hint that Social Security might not be the sacred cow that prior Democratic and even Republican presidents have regarded it as. He repeatedly said that his concern was with the long term “solvency” of Social Security. He did not spell out exactly what “solvency” meant or what steps he would take to ensure that solvency. It was apparent that Obama -- even then -- believed that Social Security was in some danger and that some steps had to be taken to shore it up.

Obama, though, left the matter there. However, three years later, that is no longer the case. With the GOP breathing down his neck to cut a deal to slash and burn programs that have profound effect on health, education, and infrastructure spending, nothing is out of bounds and that obviously includes Social Security. In a review of the positions on Social Security of the top three 2008 Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Obama, a summary question was “Does he or she pledge to NOT cut Social Security benefits?” The answer for Clinton and Edwards was an unequivocal “yes.” Obama’s answer was “no.”

That “no” has now ignited alarm and anger among House Democrats at the report that Obama had put the “tweak” of Social Security on the

bargaining table to get a budget deal with the GOP. It has stirred

even greater panic and alarm among those who need and depend on Social Security the most -- and those are minorities.

There is good reason for their anger -- in fact several good reasons. Social Security has been the jewel in the crown of the Democratic Party’s domestic program since FDR put pen to paper in August 1935 and signed

the Social Security Act into law. No Democratic president, and only one Republican president, has dared to even breathe a hint that Social Security should be changed. George W. Bush tried it with his scheme to privatize part of the program, and that failed miserably.

The success of Social Security has rested on two major pillars. It provides a financial lifeline for millions of seniors, sick and disabled, despite the GOP’s con job that it is an entitlement program that must be cut. It isn’t and never has been. It is self-supporting, has not added a nickel to the national

debt, and has provided a major boost to the economy by pumping up spending.

The Social Security “tweak” that Obama reportedly put on the table would change the inflation measure that determines whether recipients get a cost-of-living boost or not. But the bigger reason for the Democrats’ panic and horror at the thought of this or any other change to Social Security is that it would spell even greater destitution for minorities.

Two figures tell the devastating impact that any cut in Social Security would have on minorities. Nearly 40 percent of African-American recipients rely solely on a Social Security check for their income. One out of three African-Americans and Hispanics would sink below the official poverty line without their Social Security payout.

The original idea was that Social Security would strictly be a supplement to the retirement income of older Americans. But as the figures on income and poverty show, that notion has long since been rendered moot. In 2008 only one out of four

African-Americans got any income from private assets compared to nearly 60 percent of whites. While more than 40 percent of older whites received income from pensions, the figure for blacks was slightly more than 30 percent.

The massive shrink in public worker employment, the assault on labor union protections, private sector outsourcing, and relentless rises in cost of living, have all sledge-hammered health and pension programs that traditionally were the primary income source for minorities and most workers. Social Security will have to fill even more of the plunging income void for them in the coming years.

It’s not just the aged among minorities that stand to be big losers with any benefit cut or cost of living formula change in Social Security. The burden will also fall heavily on the disabled. African Americans have higher rates of disability and are more likely to receive benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance program. They have even less chance than able bodied retirees of supplementing their Social Security benefits with outside income.

The GOP and President Obama will battle over how to slash Social Security. And as always, the biggest casualties of that battle will be those who rely on Social security the most. And that’s minorities.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst and Monday co-host of the Al Sharpton Show. He is an associate editor of New America Media. He is host of the weekly Hutchinson Report Newsmaker Hour on KTYM Radio Los Angeles streamed on ktym.com podcast on blogtalkradio.com and internet TV broadcast on thehutchinsonreportnews.com

Minorities: The Biggest Casualties of Social Security Battle

Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of investments in the Fund fluctuate daily and an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than the original cost and you may lose money. Current performance may be higher or lower than performance data quoted herein. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by visiting www.amanafunds.com or by calling toll free 888/73-AMANA .

The Amana Income Fund limits the securities it purchases to those consistent with Islamic principles, which limits opportunities and may increase risk. Please consider an investment’s objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. To obtain a free prospectus that contains this and other important information on the Amana Income Fund, please visit www.amanafunds.com or call toll free 888/73-AMANA. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. The Amana Income Fund is distributed by Saturna Brokerage Services, member FINRA / SIPC, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Saturna Capital Corp., investment adviser to the Amana Income Fund.

Lipper, Inc., is a nationally recognized data and research provider that ranks the performance of mutual funds within a universe of funds that have similar investment objectives. Funds are chosen as the best fund in their category for demonstrating consistently strong risk-adjusted returns compared with peers. Although Lipper makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Lipper. Users acknowledge that they have not relied upon any warranty, condition, guarantee, or representation made by Lipper. Any use of the data for analyzing, managing, or trading financial instruments is at the user's own risk.

Amana Income Fund Earns Lipper Best Fund Awards

Call us or visit our website today to find out more about the Amana Income Fund and our Sharia Compliant Investment Solutions.

Best FundFor the 3-year period ended

12/31/2006 among 180 funds in the Equity Income Category.





10-0

9

AUGUST 2011www.AZMuslimVoice.com 9NATIONAL

La Opinión, News Report, Pilar Marrero, Translated

by Caitlin Fuller

Companies are profiting from the detention of immigrants; it’s a thriving business that seems likely to continue to grow.

The companies that build and run private prisons have boomed in recent years. This growth is not a result of contracts with states, which are facing budget problems, but with the federal government, for the construction of immigrant detention centers.

There have been three major U.S. companies that construct, remodel, and administer private prisons that contract with the government: Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), The GEO Group, Inc., and Cornell Corrections. GEO acquired the latter last year, making GEO and CCA the major players.

Together, these two companies made $3 billion in 2010 and control almost three quarters of the private prison market. Right now, the majority of their business comes from state prison contracts, but that’s not where the future is: state governments don’t have the money for new prisons.

“The money is in immigration,” said Paul Ashton, researcher for Justice Policy Institute, which published a report

two days ago on the private correctional industry and how they seek to influence public policy that increases their earnings.

“States are cutting everything, including prisons, for budget reasons, but the federal government doesn’t have that

pressure. They are investing in immigrant detention more and more.”

The number of detained immigrants has tripled since 1996. It has doubled in the last five years alone, according to Detention Watch Network.

In this same period, the private prison industry has prospered. While the total number of prisoners in the United States increased by 49 percent, the inmate population in private

prisons has increased by 354 percent, according to government statistics.

ICE authorities are currently carrying out reforms in the immigrant detention system. Part of this process involves moving immigrants from local prisons to specialized

immigrant detention centers. This shift requires the creation of new detention centers for immigrants without criminal records.

Recently, GEO announced in its company newsletter (The GEOworld, available on the company’s website), that the company will profit significantly from two new centers in Texas and California that it will run for the federal government.

“We are finalizing the renovation of the Adelanto Processing Center for a federal client, with a capacity of 650 beds,” the publication reported. Adelanto, a San Bernadino city nine miles from Victorville, sold its local prison to GEO for $28 million in order to maintain public services in a city on the brink of financial collapse.

GEO is making similar deals with other cities and states across the country to construct new federal immigration detention centers. The center in Texas, according to GEO, will be a “new civil detention center,” for “low risk” immigrants with no criminal record.

All of this means a lot of money for the company. Between the two locations, GEO will earn $15 million annually, according to the same GEOworld article.

Since 2001, CCA’s earnings have increased by 88 percent and GEO’s by 121 percent. The GEO Group is a multinational corporation that also manages immigrant detention centers in other countries.

For example, GEO manages a Scottish immigration prison located in a castle that used to be owned by a duke who used it for hunting excursions, and now belongs to the British government.

But these companies do more than just offer their services to governments. According

to the recent Justice Policy Institute Report, they have spent millions of dollars in lobbying politicians not only for contracts, but to increase budgets for detention and for stricter anti-crime policies.

“It is difficult to know how much they really spend because their finances aren’t transparent, precisely because they are private companies and not public entities,” said Emily Tucker of Detention Watch Network. “Right now we are analyzing the relationships between these companies with government officials and former officials in the area of immigration.”

Julie Myers, who served as an Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security and directed ICE in the Bush administration, is now a GEO Group lobbyist since the corporation bought the company Behavioral Intervention (B.I.), which Myers represented.

B.I. produces alternatives to imprisonment for detainees, including electronic monitoring ankle bracelets for immigrant detainees who are released under bail.

According to an analysis by the Detention Watch Network, the five corporations that have contracts with ICE have spent more than $20 million in lobbying in the last decade. CCA and GEO have lobbied various governmental divisions.

Companies Profit From Increased Immigrant Detention Rate

Ramadan Mubarak

SPECIAL RAMADANPROGRAMS

FREEON AIR DIGITAL

CHANNEL

44.4DAILY

BEFORE IFTAR Aug. 1st - Aug. 30th

NOSUBSCRIPTION•NODISH•NOCABLE•NOFEES

For information call 602-258-7770*ConverterboxwillbeneededwitholderTVs

And Watch Onlinewww.SalamTVAZ.com

Contributions & volunteers to support this project are welcome

SALAMT V U S A . c o m

SPIRIT OF RAMADAN

LIVE ATHAN

CHILDRENSHOWS

JOIN US FOR IFTAR

Tofindchannel44.4youneedtoconnectanantenna(it could be purchased from a dollar store) to your TV set and scan your

channels. Then go to channel 44.4 on your TV to watch Salam TV.

AUGUST 2011 www.AZMuslimVoice.com10 INTERNATIONAL

Last Sunday, the newly minted Republic of South Sudan’s (RSS) national soccer team played its very first game against a Kenyan side, defying the odds by securing the first goal in the match -- a sliver of hope in what some are calling a “pre-failed state” whose future is anything but secure.

As with the day-long celebrations marking the declaration of the RSS’s independence on Saturday, thousands of South Sudanese crammed into the stadium. Those unable to secure a ticket hung from trees beyond the fence to catch a glimpse of the historical occasion. They enthusiastically joined in when the stadium exploded (figuratively, thankfully) when the goal hit the back of the net, igniting yet another warbley rendition of the day-old national anthem, and unleashing a tsunami of waving black, blue, green, red and yellow flags whose bold colours seemed to fade under a punishing sun.

For an optimist, this spectacle was a promising first step towards forging a functioning nation-state. Even Nelson Mandela came to see sport (in South Africa’s case, rugby) as a way to unite a fractured society. But for those of us who see South Sudan’s glass as less than half full, and in danger of evaporating completely under that same relentless sun, there was the recognition that it is still far too early in the match to claim anything close to a victory.

In fact, in some ways the game is fixed. The world’s 193rd state, and Africa’s 54th, the RSS itself is deeply fractured, having only recently emerged from a tortured civil war, the roots of which reach all the way back beyond 1956 when the British ignored the protestations of the mostly Christian and traditionalist African south and forced it to merge with the predominantly Muslim Arab north.

The Making of South Sudan

In 1983, fed up with a string of broken promises for limited southern autonomy, Dr. John Garang created the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and the civil war really began heating up. The number of casualties from that period are numbing: as many as 2 million killed (the most of any conflict since WWII); countless forced to flee to refugee camps in neighbouring Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia; the lucky ones, like Winnepeg-based rap singer hot Dogg, shipped off to join a growing Sudanese diaspora scattered around the world.

In 2010 alone, 210,000 South Sudanese were displaced internally because, despite the most recent ceasefire, war still rages along the yet to be determined border between the north and the south. Depending on who you believe, there are between half a million and two million southerners living in the north, and countless northerners in the south. Those in the north have been given a six-month deadline to return to the south or risk becoming stateless.

Even in the south west, miles from the highly contentious northern border areas of Abyei and South Kordofan, people are still being abducted or killed or sent fleeing from their homes by the Lord’s Resistance Army: 18 major incidents have been reported there since January of this year.

Rather than one Southern Sudanese people, there are upwards of 100 different tribal groups, whose differences have been magnified by decades of civil war, famines, and droughts.

On the Front Lines Against Disease

The demographic numbers are, if anything, even more chilling. Even before separation, Sudan was a perennial bottom-feeder on the UN’s Human Development Index: 84 per cent of females living in the south are illiterate; few school-aged children have the opportunity for any education, and one out of seven won’t make it to his or her fifth birthday. As one editorial noted, a girl in South Sudan has a better chance of dying in childbirth than of

finishing primary school. That’s because 75 per cent of the South Sudanese don’t have access to even the most basic health care, and 80 per cent of what little health care there is available is provided by international NGOs, like Medecins Sans Frontieres.

In fact, my youngest brother has just been posted to the RSS as a logistician with MSF. It will be his all-consuming task to secure supply lines for medicine, refrigeration for that medicine, and bed linens -- everything in fact so the nurses and doctors in his compound can continue battling the outbreaks of measles, kala azar, and meningitis, along with the effects of chronic malnutrition that haunt the people of the RSS. All this in a country where there is not a single kilometre of paved roads outside the capital city.

(It was our plan to get together in Nairobi on his way through from Vancouver last week, but so quickly was

he needed in the RSS, he had barely cleared customs at midnight before he was back on a plane heading for the RSS at 6:30 a.m. the next morning. He’ll be based near the northern border where the fighting continues, so the outcome of this particular nation-building exercise is not just a game to watch from afar, at least as far as our family is concerned.)

Can They Mix?

One more last bit of bad news: oil and water. Most of the oil is located in South Sudan and has to be shipped by pipeline through its northern neighbour. The separation talks to date have included vague statements about sharing oil revenues 50/50 between the two Sudans.

But no matter how the deal shakes down, the north will immediately lose at least one third of its revenue, which the government badly needs to maintain its monopoly on power. And then again, neither Sudan’s president Omar al-Bashir nor the new president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, has been shy to play the violent card in the past. Al-Bashir is a fugitive from the International Criminal Court, indicted for crimes against humanity in the Darfur region of Sudan, and a man looking increasingly uncomfortable presiding over a shrinking state, once the largest in Africa. Kiir is a general in the SPLM who seems to never have taken off the oversized black cowboy hat since George W. Bush gave it to him.

Recognizing that the north could either shut off the taps or forget to forward South Sudan’s share of the oil revenues, the RSS has already begun talks with Kenya to bypass the north by building a pipeline southeast across

the Rift Valley and on to the Indian Ocean -- a turn of events that must have al-Bashir’s knickers in a twist. Further stirring the pot, both Russia and China made sure to mention in their speeches on the podium last Saturday that they would be more than willing to assist South Sudan to exploit its oil.

And if South Sudan really wants to get nasty, it can shut down the Nile, the north’s primary source of water.

In short, the RSS can hardly overcome these problems on its own. Without both regional and global support for South Sudan, this nation-building experiment is most likely doomed to fail. One result may be the creation of yet another one-man state, which civil society groups in the RSS have warned will happen if the new draft constitution isn’t amended to counter the centralization of power.

But the political will was there before: it took regional and global pressure to get the two sides to come to the negotiating table and remain there long enough to sign the 2005 agreement that lead to the January 2011 referendum which saw 98 per cent of southern Sudanese vote in favour of independence.

So it was heartening -- perhaps not as heartening as an early goal, mind you -- to hear UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon promise to send 20,000 peacekeepers to the RSS to join the 4,000 Ethiopian troops already in the country.

The problem is, mere peacekeeping isn’t the solution. A protracted and expensive period of peace-building is needed, with its corresponding infusion of cash and expertise to build the infrastructure, as well as the medical, educational, security and legal systems required for a functioning nation- state.

More than the north, the RSS will rely on the kindness of strangers. It is a landlocked nation, one of four major impediments for any country to pull itself out of the Bottom Billion according to Paul Collier.

As for that Sunday soccer game, the RSS will have to wait a bit longer for its version of South Africa’s “Springbok” moment. After letting in the first goal, the Kenyans responded with three unanswered goals and took the match 3-1.

If the international community chooses to merely watch from the stands and not take the field, the South Sudanese people’s bold new experiment will go down to defeat as well.

South Sudan’s Critical Question: Can Oil and Water Mix?

Buyers: Get up to 33% commission Rebate at COESellers: Sell your property for as low as 4% commission

Mobile: 602-326-3552 / 480-388-6972Office: 480-994-0800

Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Residential, Commercial, and LandGreat Service

Mohamed & Somaya Mohamed Hegazy, Realtors Sohaib Mohamed Hegazy, Realtor

Ask me aboutIslamic

Financing

Large variety of Fashionable and stylish

Abayas, Jilbabs, Hijabs

NadaFashions.comYour Islamic Clothing Super Store

Quality Products, Great Service and Same Day Shipping

Call: 480.388.6970Chandler, AZ

[email protected]

NewTurkish Style

Jilbabs

11/1

0

11/1

0

AUGUST 2011www.AZMuslimVoice.com 11

on

go

in 07

SHAHNAWAZ CURRIMMulti-Million Dollar Producer

Let my 24 years “Arizona” Experience work for you!

• Assisting buyers & sellers with all their real estate needs

• Relocation• New and resale homes• Apartment complexes• Shopping centers• Mini markets & convenient stations• Land & lots

Call Shanawaz Currim today!Realtyexecutives

Bus. 480-839-2600Mobile 602-245-1625Pager 602-227-9994Fax 480-491-0718“And Experience the Difference”

2011

الدليل

for more information602-258-7770

Now you can view the entire directory online at www.myplink.com

NOWAvailable

2011

INTERNATIONAL

By BEN HUBBARD

Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) _ Egypt’s prime minister promised to fight corruption Thursday as a new Cabinet was sworn in under under pressure from protesters demanding faster change and the removal of those tied to the ousted regime of President Hosni Mubarak.

Prime Minister Essam Sharaf also said he would work to end Egypt’s hated emergency laws, which empower authorities to arrest and detain people without charge.

The new government comes as tensions rise in Egypt over what many perceive as the army’s reluctance to act against the former regime. Several hundred protesters have been camping out in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square _ the epicenter of the uprising that ended Mubarak’s rule on Feb. 11 _ to try to keep up pressure on the military council ruling the country.

The Cabinet is not expected to remain in office for more than four months, with parliamentary elections slated for October or November.

Sharaf said he would root out the graft and police abuse that were key factors in igniting the revolt against Mubarak. He also the interior ministry would allow human rights organizations to visit prisoners.

Activists welcomed some aspects of the new Cabinet, but said they did not expect it to be a powerful force for change since the military still has to sign off on anything it does.

``This is not a government of the revolution in any way,’’ said Shadi Ghazaly Harb, a protest leader during the uprising who has founded a new political party. ``This is a caretaker government and I expect from it the same weak performance we saw from the last government.’’

Sharaf addressed such criticisms in his address.

``I and the members of the last government know well that the level of performance may not have been at the level that people hope for,’’ he said. ``We promise that in the next stage well revise these issues.’’

The new government has 12 new members and two deputy prime ministers. Thirteen other members kept their jobs.

Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, told the new Cabinet that its job was to restore security, prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections and oversee the writing of a new constitution.

The swearing-in had been scheduled for Tuesday, but it was postponed when the prime minister went to the hospital for exhaustion. He checked out the next day.

In a move likely to upset protesters, Interior Minister Mansour el-Issawi kept his job. Protesters have been calling for his removal, saying he has not done

enough to reform the police and security forces.

The Cabinet no longer contains an antiquities minister, a position recently held by Zahi Hawass, who campaigned for repatriation of Egyptian antiques from European museums and was criticized for boosting his own career at the expense of younger archaeologists.

The Supreme Council of Antiquities will now run Egypt’s historical sites and report to the prime minister’s office.

Also Thursday, an Egyptian court ruled that Mubarak’s name _ ubiquitous on libraries, schools and subway stations _ will not be removed from public institutions.

The controversy will likely continue, however, as the case was transferred to an administrative court.

Egyptians have removed the names of Mubarak and his wife Suzanne from hundreds of public facilities since his ouster. Thursday’s ruling will not restore them

Received by Newsfinder from AP

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) _ Scores of Jordanian protesters demanding democratic reforms from their king have denounced what they say is years of U.S. interference in the region’s politics and have burned an American flag.

About 300 protesters chanted, ``America is the head of the snake,’’ as the flag burned at the protest in the capital, Amman. Most of the activists were from

leftist and nationalist parties.

They also demanded Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit step down and called for press freedom in response to police attacks on journalists and activists during a protest last week.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II is a staunch U.S. ally. He has responded to months of protests with a pledge to consider allowing voters to choose the prime minister and the Cabinet. Currently they are appointed by the king.


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) _ Amnesty International warned on Friday that a draft anti-terrorism law being considered by Saudi Arabia would allow authorities in the ultraconservative Muslim nation to prosecute dissent as a terrorist act.

The draft, a copy of which the rights group said it obtained, labels as terrorist crimes such offenses as harming the reputation of the state and endangering national unity. Such language is typically used to prosecute political opponents of the Saudi monarchy, which does not tolerate dissent and bans political activity.

The law would give wide ranging powers to the Saudi’s security forces to hold and question those it suspects of such crimes for prolonged time and without a charge. It would also carry harsh punishments, including a minimum prison sentence of 10 years for challenging the integrity of the king, the group said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia has not seen the kind of unrest raging around the Middle East, but it is taking steps to prevent pro-

democracy protests from spilling over into the oil-rich kingdom, particularly from neighboring Bahrain. Earlier this year, Riyadh sent troops to Bahrain to help the Sunni rulers there quell the revolt by the island nation’s Shiite majority, demanding greater freedoms and more rights.

There have been several modest attempts at a pro-reform protest in Saudi Arabia since the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt kicked off anti-government demonstrations around the region in February. The Arab Spring has inspired a group of Saudi women to protest the men-only driving rule in the kingdom.

About 40 Saudi women got behind the wheel last month and drove through the Saudi capital, Riyadh, saying they were launching a campaign to lift the driving restrictions in the Muslim country, where women can only appear in public when escorted by a male relative.

At least five women have been in custody since the campaign.

Saudi Arabia has no written law barring women from driving _ only fatwas, or religious edicts, by senior clerics following a strict brand of Islam known as Wahhabism.


PARIS (AP) _ France has assailed Syria’s government for a crackdown on a city at the heart of the country’s revolt, accusing the army of a reign of terror.

The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that it condemns ``repression by the Syrian authorities, who continue ... to arrest and kill their own population daily.’’

The ministry singled out the central city of Homs, saying dozens have been killed there in recent days. It says ``terror reigns in Homs, surrounded by the Syrian army.’’

The ministry says ``the army and other security forces will have to account for their actions.’’

This week has seen a wave of sectarian bloodshed in Homs, marking a potentially dangerous turn in the four-month uprising against President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Egyptian PM promises reforms, end to emergency law

Jordanians accuse US of interference in region

Amnesty: Saudi terror bill could muzzle dissidents

France condemns violence in Syrian city Homs

AUGUST 2011 www.AZMuslimVoice.com12 INTERNATIONAL

Israeli PM turns to Arab TV in call for peace

Jerusalem boxing club brings together Jews, Arabs

Muslims, non-Muslims still dislike each other?

By ARON HELLER

Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) _ With a September deadline looming, Israel’s prime minister turned to the Arabic media Thursday for the first time since taking office two years ago in an attempt to lure the Palestinians back to peace talks, saying `èverything is on the table.’’

Benjamin Netanyahu’s interview with the Al-Arabiya satellite channel reflects Israeli concerns over Palestinian plans to seek U.N. recognition of their independence this fall. But it also highlights Netanyahu’s new strategy of engaging directly with the Arab public.

Netanyahu has fielded questions from Arabs before on YouTube and even made a recorded plea to Arab viewers to submit questions. But the face-to-face Al-Arabiya interview is his first of its kind. Netanyahu’s office called the move `the beginning of a new era’’ and promised more such interviews in the near future.

The interview, to air later Thursday, comes as Israel is scrambling to counter the Palestinian U.N. initiative this fall. Israel fiercely opposes the move, saying a Palestinian state should be formed through negotiations and not by unilateral steps.

Peace negotiations have been stalled since 2008, and the Palestinians have refused to negotiate while Israel continues to build homes in Jewish settlements.

Although the vote will be largely symbolic, the Palestinians hope to isolate Israel and put pressure on it to make concessions.

In the interview, Netanyahu says he is willing to negotiate anywhere and with anyone who accepts Israel’s right to exist.

`Èverything is on the table. But we need to get to the table,’’ Netanyahu said, according to excerpts released by Al-Arabiya ahead of time.

Netanyahu said he realized he would have to make ``difficult compromises for peace,’’ but he offered few new details about his plans.

The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank and east Jerusalem _ areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war _ as parts of a future independent state. Netanyahu has said he wants to keep parts of the West Bank, and he opposes any division of Jerusalem.

In the interview, Netanyahu also addressed the situation in the Gaza Strip, the other territory claimed by the Palestinians, and the regional unrest in Syria and Egypt.

``You know anything that I say will be used _ not against me _ but against the process of genuine reform that Syrian people would like to see. We don’t intervene in Syria but it does not mean we are not concerned,’’ Netanyahu said. `Ì think the people, the young people of Syria deserve a better future.’’

Ofir Gendelman, Netanyahu’s spokesman for the Arab media, said Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya was chosen as a conduit for Netanyahu’s outreach because it is a professional station that reaches 40 million Arabs. He refused to discuss why Al-Jazeera, the top-rated Arab media outlet, was not selected. Al-Jazeera’s coverage has been accused of stirring up anti-Israel sentiment on the Arab street.

Gendelman said Netanyahu’s office also communicates with the Arab world via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

``There are a lot of issues the prime minister wants to address,’’ he said. ``The goal of the interview is

twofold: to convey the message that he wants to resume negotiations and express via the interview how important Arab public opinion is to him.’’

Israel’s most pressing concern at the moment is what happens in September. No one knows exactly how the vote will unfold.

The United States opposes the plan and, as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, could veto a Palestinian membership request and derail the process.

If that happens, the Palestinians could go to the General Assembly and seek recognition there as a nonmember observer state, a largely symbolic nod. Still, widespread support in the General Assembly would signal that a majority of countries support Palestinian statehood in the pre-1967 lines.

The Palestinians insist that their U.N. bid does not rule out a return to negotiations.

Palestinian leaders have called on their people to take to the streets in nonviolent protests in September and Israeli officials are concerned that these could spiral out of control and set off a new round of fighting.

Israeli Cabinet Minister Moshe Yaalon dismissed these concerns Thursday, telling foreign reporters that he ``can’t see any change on the ground after September.’’

He called the unilateral option one of the `balloons inflated in the last two years by those who thought we might be threatened.’’

Yaalon, a former military chief, also rejected the argument that the current status quo is untenable.

``The situation is not sustainable? It’s sustainable. It’s not going to be solved in the near future. We can live with it. We can survive with it,’’ he said.

Received by Newsfinder

JERUSALEM (AP) _ When Gershon Luxemburg started his boxing club 30 years ago, he was looking to build champions, not bridges.

But thanks to a loyal cadre of Jewish and Arab fighters who flock to his stuffy gym inside a converted underground bomb shelter, Luxemburg’s club has become a rare melting pot that brings the warring sides closer together _ one punch at a time.

Luxemburg and his brother Eli run Jerusalem’s only official boxing club. The cramped, smelly gym has pictures of Muhammad Ali and other boxing greats gracing the walls and an assortment of heavy bags hanging from the ceiling. Located in a neighborhood in Jewish west Jerusalem, it draws boxers from all parts of the city and has become a second home for both aspiring professionals and amateurs looking to learn the sweet science.

Despite the sport’s violent nature, Luxemburg says Jews and Arabs never clash in his gym.

`Ìt’s very easy for me to see hate in someone’s eyes, and I’ve never seen it here,’’ he said. `The boxers are close. They are like brothers to each other.’’

At a time when Israelis and Palestinians are increasingly segregated, the Maccabi Jerusalem Boxing Club offers a hub of coexistence. Jews and Arabs who would normally never cross paths jog, skip rope and spar. They pant and sweat, and the occasional nose gets bloody, but tensions never rise after the bell is rung.

Luxemburg says it is typical for aspiring boxers to come with troubled pasts. But learning how to fight actually lessens violent tendencies, he said.

``When someone has that confidence in himself, he doesn’t look for a fight. He doesn’t need to throw stones,’’ he said. ``Sports brings people together. When you get in that ring together, when you get so close you can smell the other person ... it’s a different level.’’

He said that in sanctioned tournaments he lets his fighters get ``cruel’’ and hit hard. But the in-house training is kept civil, even cordial.

Ismail Jafrei, a 37-year-old Palestinian truck driver from east Jerusalem, the section of the city claimed by the Palestinians for their future capital, says the trick is to leave politics at the door.

``When we walk down those steps we leave politics, religion and all that mess outside,’’ he said. `Ìnside the club, we are all brothers. We spar and at the end we shake hands and everyone goes their own way.’’

A frequent Israeli sparring partner agrees.

``We’re just fighters and it doesn’t matter if one is an Arab and one is a Jew,’’ said Yehuda Luxemburg, a 23-year-old Israeli combat soldier and nephew of the club’s trainers. ``There is something pure about boxing. It brings people together.’’

Eli Luxemburg is an equal opportunity screamer. At a recent practice, he hollered at his charges ``fire, fire, fire’’ and they began to unload jabs at each other’s boxing helmets.

``Mohammed. Move your feet! You aren’t moving your feet!’’ he yelled at a Palestinian boxer. The shy east Jerusalemite nodded, and Yehuda Luxemburg gave him some pointers on footwork and other fine points.

``Now hit me!’’ he said.

The Luxemburg brothers were both former champs in their native Uzbekistan before immigrating to Israel. They now enjoy a cult-like status among Jerusalem’s small but tightly knit boxing community.

They instruct in a mixture of Hebrew, Russian and English. While many Palestinians in Jerusalem know Hebrew, instructions are translated into Arabic for those who don’t understand.

Israeli boxers have enjoyed a moderate level of success internationally. Most originate from the former Soviet Union, such as former WBA super welterweight champion Yuri Foreman and heavyweight Roman Greenberg _ nicknamed the ``Lion from Zion.’’

Some of the Gershon Luxemburg’s fighters have gone on to compete in the Olympics and in European championships, but he says his ultimate dream is to host a tournament in Jerusalem with all religions attending _ and perhaps Muhammad Ali too.

`Ì don’t care if they become boxing champions, so long as they become champions in life,’’ he said.

By SUZANNE GAMBOA

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Attitudes about Muslim-Western relations have become slightly more positive in the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Russia compared with five years ago, although negative views between Muslim countries and the West persist on both sides, a Pew Research Center survey found.

The survey, by Pew’s Global Attitudes Project, found majorities of Muslims surveyed in five of six Muslim-dominant countries and the Palestinian territories described non-Muslim Westerners as selfish and greedy. In all six Western countries surveyed, fewer than 30 percent of non-Muslims said they consider Muslims respectful of women.

Ten years after the Sept. 11 attacks, Muslims in the Middle East and Asia and non-Muslims, all have worries about Islamic extremism.

Majorities of Muslims interviewed in most of the predominantly Muslim nations surveyed were inclined to say relations with people in Western countries are bad. There has been no overall improvement in those views in the predominantly Muslim nations during the past five years.

Westerners are less likely to believe relations are poor today than they were five years ago.

Among Western nations, France, Germany and Spain were the most likely to hold negative views of relations between Western nations and Muslims, with about six in 10 holding that view. About half in the U.S. and Britain held this view. In Russia, fewer than four in 10 said relations were bad.

Both sides tend to blame the other for bad relations, but more than a quarter of those in the U.S., Britain and France who say relations are bad blame the West.

Pew’s survey shows significant mistrust remains between the average person on the ``Muslim street’’ and the general public in Western nations, said Arsalan Iftikhar, a human rights attorney who is writing a book about Muslims in the aftermath of Osama bin Laden’s death.

``Both Westerners and Muslims alike tend

to point the proverbial finger at the òther’ in order to not fully accept responsibility for their own societal shortcomings,’’ Iftikhar said.

Negative views among Muslims reflect a ``nosedive’’ of their expectations after President Barack Obama pledged to improve U.S.-Muslim relations during a speech in Cairo last year, said John Esposito, founder of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University in Washington.

``People don’t see a difference on a number of critical points between the Obama and Bush administrations,’’ Esposito said. He cited the continued detentions at Guantanamo Bay, prosecution of detainees in military courts, the administration’s position on Israel and its hesitance to back demonstrators in Tunisia and Egypt this year.

The Pew survey found people in Spain held the most negative attitudes among countries in Western Europe and the U.S. toward Muslims, even though there was slight improvement compared with five years ago. Just over a third of survey respondents in Spain had favorable opinions of Muslims and more than half expressed negative views.

Majorities of Muslims in most of those countries say people in the U.S., Western Europe and Russia are immoral, greedy, violent and selfish and more than half in most of those countries associate fanaticism and arrogance with Westerners. Substantial minorities of Muslims in predominantly Muslim countries said Westerners in those countries are honest, tolerant or generous. Fewer than half of Muslims in five of the predominantly Muslim countries say Westerners are respectful of women.

Muslims were included in the interviews in the Western countries, but were filtered out in the questions about traits associated with Muslims.

The survey was conducted between late March and mid-May. Sample sizes ranged from 825 in the Palestinian territories to 1,251 in Pakistan, but were generally around 1,000 people interviewed either in person or by telephone. Results were subject to margins of error ranging from 3.5 percentage points for results from Britain and France to 5 percentage points in Israel.

AUGUST 2011www.AZMuslimVoice.com 13ISLAM

The challenge of building and protecting substantial wealth requires expertise, entrepreneurial thinking, and a commitment to personal services

Financial Services• Individual Services• Business Services• College Savings Plans

Wealth Management• Financial Planning• Estate Planning• Retirement Planning• Developing Client Investment

Strategies• Invesment Process

Basil Alqudwa

703-459-096947436 River Crest St.

Potomac Falls, VA 20165

Muslim Voice

Fathiyyah Bashshar

The Quran is quite clear that the Hijaab is essential for modesty, so why are so many Muslims choosing not to wear the Hijaab? The Quran is clear: “Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty......And say to the believing women that they should

lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms....” (Quran 24:30, 31).

The head scarf is often referred to as Hijaab or hejab, an Arabic word meaning a covering or a screen. Mujahabat means “women who are covered.” The Islamic veil, is not a sign of man’s authority over woman nor is it a sign of woman’s subjection to man. In American society: we are constantly sizing one another up on the basis of our clothing, jewelry, hair and makeup. Because of the superficiality of the world in which we live, external appearances are so stressed that the value of the individual counts for almost nothing. What kind of depth can there be in a world like this? Yes, I have a body, a physical manifestation upon this Earth. What kind of freedom can there be when a woman cannot walk down the street without every aspect of her physical self being “checked out”? The Hijaab is the vessel of an intelligent mind and a strong spirit.

Among Muslim women, the debate about Hijaab takes many forms. Many believe that the veil is a way to secure personal liberty in a world that objectifies women. Several women have argued that Hijaab allows them freedom of movement and control of their bodies. Understood in such terms, Hijaab protects women from the male gaze and allows them to become autonomous subjects. Islamic law (Shari’a) clearly requires women to cover themselves. The degree of covering varies with how seriously a Muslim government interprets this. Turkey and Tunisia actually ban headscarves in public buildings. Some insist that the Hijaab is not mandated by the religion, although they do not have anything within the sacred texts to counter the passages in which

Islam instructed its use. This issue has been discussed by several authorities on Islam, but Many Islamic scholars do say that covering the hair is a religious duty, but others disagree and say the verse has other

interpretations.

The Sunnah also has many proofs for the obligation of Hijaab. For example, `A’ishah, Mother of the Believers, reported that Asma’, the daughter of Abu Bakr, entered into the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wearing transparent clothing, so the Messenger of Allah turned away from her saying: “O’ Asma’, when

a women reaches the age of menstruation, it is not allowed that any of her body should be seen except this” – and he pointed to his face and two hands.” (Abu Dawud)

In addition to the above proofs, the majority of Imams - including those of the four schools - hold the opinion that a woman is obliged to cover her entire body with the exception of her face and hands in the presence of non-related men as defined in the Shari’ah.

Given the above, it becomes crystal clear that Hijaab of the Muslim woman is well-established in Shari`ah. It is a religious, not cultural, obligation that a Muslim woman should carry out and feel proud of. An interview with Ahsen Dielec of Turkey revealed that she wore the Hijaab in her country. After she moved to Tucson with her family over 5 years ago, she no longer wears the Hijaab in public. She stated she does wear it to pray though. She cites her reasoning to be that “Islam is in the heart and your clothes do not define you but your intentions do”. She feels that living in America has given her the choice to make the decision if she wants to wear the Hijaab or not. Alternatively Najwah Muhammad from Atlanta, states she is a revert to Islam. She stated that covering for her is mandatory based on her understanding of Islamic Law. Najwah doesn’t feel that she has a choice in the matter. She states that “we love what Allah loves and hates what Allah hates”. We cannot make something a choice if Allah has decreed the matter clear.

In conclusion:

No matter what we feel or what we choose, Islam is a religion that is based on actions. These actions define our daily routines and our choices. Our choices are defined by what Islam has defined and not what we define. Our choices are not made based on personal feelings. They are based on the Islamic rules that have been set for all Muslims. We must remember that when we ask if we as Muslim have choices, we can state yes. Allah has given man free-will, and we must remember what Islam states about matters and do our best to follow this path.

I pray that Allah guide us along the Straight Path, and protect us from deviation after having guidance. And may Allah bless The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), his family and his companions, and all who follow in their footsteps until the Final Hour, Amin.

To Veil or Not to Veil; is it really a choice?

AUGUST 2011 www.AZMuslimVoice.com14 BAZAAR / CLASSIFIED

The Bazaar Market PlaceTo advertise in this section call for details 602-258-7770 • Minimum 3 months

on

go

in 0

7

INAYAT M. ALIKHAN, M.D.General Psychiatry

إنايات علي خاندكتور عالج نفسي عام

480-945-2558New Office Location By Nov.19th Airport Business Center 441 South 48th St. Suite 102 Tempe, AZ 85281

Fattoush or Peasant Salad:Ramadan Food Recipes

Chicken Couscous

• 2 cups shredded lettuce (romaine and/or iceberg)

• 1 large or 2 small cucumbers, small dice

• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley, leaves only, no stems

• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, no stems

• 1/2 to 1 green pepper, diced

• 1 bunch green onions, finely sliced

• 1/2 teaspoon sumac

• 2 pieces of pita bread toasted until golden brown, broken into pieces the

size of a quarter

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 2 to 4 cloves garlic

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Pinch of pepper

Directions

In a small bowl mix all dressing ingredients well.

Put all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 to 1 cup dressing. Serve immediately.

By Chef Osama El Sayed

Method

• In a large stockpot, heat the oil andbrown the chicken on all sides for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, and cook until softened, about another 5 minutes.

•Addthetomatoes,parsley,cilantroandwater, and bring to a rolling boil. Cook, covered for 15 minutes.

•Reduceheattolowandaddthesaffron,turmeric, ginger, spices, carrots, turnips, potato and pumpkin.

•Cook,covered,untilpumpkinistender,30 to 35 minutes.

•Removetheparsleyandcilantrobundles.

•Addthezucchinianddrainedgarbanzobeans. Simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions.

•Addbutterandfluffwithafork.

• To serve, mound the couscous on aserving platter.

• Top artfully with all the cookedvegetables. Surround with chicken pieces. Serve with extra broth on the side.

Ingredients

2 Tbsps olive oil

11/3 kilo chicken pieces

4 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 can whole tomatoes, (16-ounce can)

20 sprigs parsley, washed and tied with string

10 sprigs cilantro, washed and tied with string

6 to 8 cups water

8 saffron threads, crushed

1 Tbsp mixed spices, cumin, all spice, nutmeg and coriander

2 cinnamon sticks

2 tsps ground ginger

1 tsp turmeric

4 small carrots, cut into large pieces

4 small turnips, quartered

½ kilo pumpkin or winter squash

4 small potatoes

4 zucchini, peeled and cut into quarters

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and washed (15-ounce can)

salt and pepper to taste

½ kilo package of instant couscous

¼ cup butter

IRAQI CHILIDREN'S RELIEFASSOCIATION,INC. in AZ

For moreinformation call602-486-3935

Helping Iraqi children who are orphans, handicapped, injured in wars. This is an opportunity for those who want help humanity in this world by donating or helping this noble cause.

ذين في قال تعالى )والذين هم على صالتهم دائمون والعلوم للسال والمحروم( وسيجزي اهلل المحسنين اموالهم حق م

www.icrai.p2h.info

For more information call480-275-1538

ArAbic lAnguAge teAcher And islAmic lAw And the QurAn for

All levels

Giving lessons at home

The Aquila Ocotillo3195 S. Price Rd., Unit # 150 • Chandler, AZ 85248

Farkhanda Khan, M.D.

Phone: 480-722-0239

www.chandlerpsychiatry.com

Specializing in Adult, Child, Adolescent & Geriatric Psychiatry

Chandler Psychiatry PLLCM.B. Khan, M.D.Chandler Neurology & Sleep Disorders Associates P.C

The Aquila Ocotillo3195 S. Price Rd., Unit # 150 • Chandler, AZ 85248

Phone: 480-722-0239

www.chandlerneurologyandsleep.com

Specializing in all Neurological & Sleep Related Disorders Diagnostic Services include EEG, EMG,

Polysomnography, MSLT & MWT

11 / 1

2

11 / 1

2

Protect your LEGAL RIGHTSGet a Pre-Paid Legal plan today!Call Aneesah at 480-233-6547

CLASSIFIED ADAs low as $15 / month

AS LOW AS $55/MON.

FOR(3X2 INCH) SIZE AD

ADVERTISEHERE

AUGUST 2011www.AZMuslimVoice.com 15CALENDAR / ANNOUNCEMENTS

Phoenix Prayer TimesAugust 2011 • Shaban / Ramadan 1432 H

ISLAMIC CENTERS IN ARIZONAISLAMIC CENTERS IN ARIZONACOLORING CONTEST FOR KIDS

Hint: If the paper is too thin to color, make a Xerox copy then color it.Ages 3-12, please send a picture of yourself.

COLORING CONTEST

Name: Age: Phone: # August 2011

Send your coloring to the Muslim Voice to enter the drawing for the best picture.

July Winner

Tucson Prayer TimesAugust 2011 • Shaban / Ramadan 1432 H

ISLAMIC WEEKEND SCHOOLSIslamic Community Center of Phoenix: Sunday at 9:45 am-1:20 pm.Islamic Cultural Center: Sunday at 10:00 amMuslim Community Mosque: Sunday at 10:00 am until 2:30 pm.Masjid Omar Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm.ICNEV Weekend Islamic School Tel: (480) 346-2081Classes held on Sunday K thru’ grade 12 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.ACA Weekend School Sunday 10:00 am-1:15 pm. www.azacademy.org/weekend

Sultan Education in Chandler Saturdays & Sundays - children/adults 480-593-7066Greenway Islamic Academy Tajweed, Islamic Studies, & Arabic Language 602-565-0500

DIRECTIONS TO THE ISLAMIC CULTURALCENTER CEMETERY

IN CASE OF DEATH• Call Sandy at Angel’s Burial, at 480-962-6435

• Total cost is $1,800.00

FROM THE ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER (ICC):

1) Go South on Forest to University Drive. Turn right.2) Go West on University to the I-10 highway. Take I-10 East.3) Proceed on I-10 East (~12 Miles). Exit at Queen Creek Rd. (EXIT #164).4) Turn right on route 347 South. Proceed for about 14 miles.5) Turn right on route 238 West. Proceed for about 8.7 miles.6) Turn right on unnamed/unpaved street after you see the street sign which reads “36 miles” and proceed to the cemetery.

Check our website for up to date information

www.tempemasjid.com

PHOENIXArizona Cultural Academy 7810S.42ndPl.•Phoenix602-454-1222

Islamic Center of Arizona9032N.9thSt.•Phoenix

Islamic Center of N. Phoenix13246 N. 23rd Ave. 85029602-371-3440

Islamic Comnty Ctr of Phx7516 N. Black Canyon Hwy. Phoenix•602-249-0496

Muslim Community Mosque1818N.32ndSt.•Phoenix602-306-4959

Masjid Al-Rahmah2645E.McDowellRd.•Phoenix602-275-5493

Masjid Muhammad Ibn Abdullah5648 N. 15th ave.Phoenix,AZ85015602-413-5279

Al Rasoul Mosque5302N.35thAve.•Phoenix602-864-1817

PEORIAGreenway Islamic Center6724WestGreenway•Peoria,AZ www.greenwaymasjid.com

TEMPEIslamic Comnty Ctr of Tempe131E.6thStreet•Tempe480-894-6070

Masjid Al Mahdi1016S.RiverDr.•Tempe480-557-9699

Masjid Omar Bin Al-Khattab6225S.McClintock•Tempe480-775-6627

MESAMasjid-el-Noor 55N.Matlock•Mesa480-644-0074

SCOTTSDALEIslamic Center of N.E. Valley 12125E.ViaLinda•Scottsdale480-612-4044

CHANDLERMasjid AsSalam1071N.AlmaSchoolRd.•Chandler 480-250-7522

Islamic Center of East Valley425N.AlmaSchoolDr.•Chandler602-388-9900

LAVEENIslamic Center of Laveen P.O.Box1107•Laveen602-361-4401

MARICOPAMasjid Bilal Ibn Rabah44370 W. Arizona Ave. Maricopa Arizona 85138 contact# (602)312-7913

CASA GRANDEMasjid Sajda is located c/o:The Legacy Suites540 North Cacheris CourtCasa Grande`, Arizona 85122480.332.8618

Ibrahim Ali

AUGUST 2011 www.AZMuslimVoice.com16 ADVERTISEMENTS

w w w . m o s a i c m e d i a n e t w o r k . n e [email protected]

Tel. 602-258-7770

M SAICmedia network

P R I N T I N T E R N E T T V R A D I O

e m p o w e r i n g m u s l i m & a r a b m e d i a

2011

الدليل

for more information602-258-7770

Now you can view the entire directory online at www.myplink.com

2011NOW

Availablein local stores

We have Two Convenient Locations:1641 W. Glendale Ave., Suite B | Phoenix, AZ 85021

2210 S. Mill Ave., Suite 2 | Tempe, AZ 85282

(602) 864–6400w w w . D u r k i n O r t h o . c o m

DurkinOrthodontics

“Let us give you the perfect smile. It will open many doors and help change your life.”

Orthodontics for Adults & ChildrenWe also offer General Dentistry

• i-Braces (invisible braces)• Invisalign• Clear Braces• Teeth Whitening• Crowns• Root Canals• Tooth Colored Fillings• Implants• We offer 0% Financing• Payment Plans Available• Most Insurances Accepted• Evening and Saturday Appointments Available

Free Consults

We will match any orthodontic fee quote plus a 10% discount!

We also speak Dari, Hindi, Urdu, & Spanish!

Fazila Durkin, D.D.S., M.S.

3515 W. Thunderbird Rd. • Phoenix, AZ 85053602-942-1950

Mediterranean, European FoodsCulture Clothing - Accessories

Reasonable Prices

HALAL MEAT

Are You Looking For Good Furniture ?Don't Think Twice Come To The Mansion Furniture!We Have The Best and Most Affordable Prices In The Valley

• Financing Programs Available• We Accept Visa, Master Card, and

Discover card• We Deliver Free

• Bring This Ad and Receive an Extra 20% Off.

The Mansion FurnitureThe Mansion Furniture

1727 E. Mc Dowell Rd • Phoenix, AZ 85006 www.themansionfurniture.com

Tel.: (602)253-4727Fax: (602)254-6889

11 /

7

Halal meat • Goat meat • Spices Pita • Iraqi breads

Muslim Voice August 2011

Documents

Transcript of Muslim Voice August 2011