by Bushra on January 29, 2008
The latest issue of Rolling Stones features a fascinating Special Report titled Fear Factory, by investigative journalist Guy Lawson. In this article, Lawson details how the FBI has gone to great lengths to go after terrorist threats, to even the point of creating threats themselves. Lawson writes of how outfits of the FBI, such as the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) have used informants to lull unsuspecting people (Arab and South Asian Muslims for the most part) into planning terrorist plots, ones these people never would have pursued on their own.
“While real threats undoubtedly exist,” Lawson writes,”what the Bush administration promotes as a nationwide pattern of terrorist activities is largely the result of its own policies in the age of lawfare.”
He goes on to write about one of many examples, the “Fort Dix Six,” about a group of Muslims who allegedly wanted to attack Fort Dix in New Jersey:
As in other cases, the FBI itself proved to be the mastermind behind the plot. The men —who included three roofers, a taxi driver and a former delivery boy for Super Mario’s Pizza — had little money and no connections to real extremists. All were in their twenties and spent their weekends playing paintball. Under the guidance of two informants for the JTTF, the men planned an assault on Fort Dix using rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s —none of which actually existed.
The article is available in its entirety on the Rolling Stones website. The article can also be found in the latest print version of the magazine, the one with a February 7, 2008 cover date and a picture of Thom Yorke of Radiohead on the cover. It’s definitely worth reading.
by Irfan on January 23, 2008
Here is an interesting article written by Abdus-Sattar Ghazali with the American Muslim perspective about the perceptions of Muslims and the West about each other:
Islam-West Division
Irfan
by Bushra on January 18, 2008
The latest issue of Foreign Policy magazine features a cover story asking its readers to imagine a World Without Islam.
“Given our intense current focus on terrorism, war, and rampant antiAmericanism—some of the most emotional international issues of the day—it’s vital to understand the true sources of these crises. Is Islam, in fact, the source of the problem, or does it tend to lie with other less obvious and deeper factors?” asks reporter Graham E. Fuller.
Long story short - no, Islam is not the source of the problem.
The website features only an excerpt of the article. For the full article, you either need to register on the site or read it while standing around in the magazine section at Borders during your lunch hour.
by Bushra on January 7, 2008
Ok, it’s new as in a little more than a week ago but I just got around to listening to it:
altmuslim review 025
This latest podcast, in which the editors Shahed and Zahed Amanullah say their aim is to release a new podcast once a month in 2008, includes an interview with Eboo Patel. I reviewed his book back in September. Check out the podcast folks!
by Farah on December 20, 2007
An esteemed crowd of over 250 Imams, Directors, and members of the general Muslim public came together to celebrate the launch of the Northern California Islamic Council this past week. The full house of attendees at the inaugural celebration held at the SABA Center in San Jose were from various schools of thoughts, ethnicities, and sects; all of whom came together in support of an organization which aims to create solidarity for the betterment of Muslim relations. The composition of the turnout alone proved evident the establishment of the NCIC is an essential need of the community.
The NCIC was formed with the fundamental philosophy of “shura” or collective wisdom. By offering a common platform for religious and sharia consultation they nurture confidence, trust, and unity between participating Muslim organizations. Furthermore, they seek to serve as the unifying voice for Northern California Muslims by interfacing with the public at large regarding issues of common interest. The work of NCIC will benefit Muslim non profits in many ways, particularly by providing a network of advice and services for Muslim organizations and also by serving as a cohesive voice to the public in areas such as interfaith, government, and media relations.
Representatives of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi and Shakeel Syed, commended the formation of the NCIC and shared their relative experiences working not only with other Muslim groups in Southern California but the larger interfaith community. Imam Nabi Raza Abidi of SABA was pleased to see members of the Sunni community gather at SABA Center, a predominantly Shia mosque. M. Imam Faheem Shuaibe of Masjid Waritheen and Dr. Munir Fareed, Secretary General of ISNA also reinforced the goals of the council and stressed the need for involvement. So far more than 30 mosques and organizations have come on board as members of the NCIC. The counsel’s advisors are comprised of respected scholars such as Dr. Hatem Bazian, Imam Zaid Shakir, Imam Tahir Anwar, and Imam Faheem Shuaib. The Northern California Islamic Council has established the platform for collaboration and advancement and through the involvement of Muslim non-profit organizations can they strengthen their mission moving forward. The NCIC will elect new board members in early January 2008, to learn more please visit their site at www.norcalcouncil.com
by Bushra on December 4, 2007
So said Imam Zaid Shakir at last nights fundrasier for Illume Magazine, encouraging people to donate generously to ensure that Javed Ali can continue to produce this independent Muslim magazine. His point was that many people, including a lot of those sitting in the Chandni banquet hall last night, donate a lot for masjids. However, Imam Zaid said, one can pray anywhere, from one’s garage to the parking lot outside. “No one can tell a people’s story like the people themselves,” he said, emphasizing the need for Illume magazine.
The night was filled with speakers - Shahed Amanullah, Souheila Al-Jadda, Hatem Bazian, and Imam Zaid - who all spoke along a similar theme: the importance of media and why Muslims need to have their own outlet. In his introduction to the fundraiser, Amanullah, journalist and editor of AltMuslim.com, spoke about how it is necessary to take Muslim media out of just the volunteer arena and that we need multiple institutions to create a “vibrant, Muslim media.” He also mentioned that some stories only made it to the mainstream media after a Muslim outlet broke the news first. Al-Jadda , journalist and producer at LinkTV, talked about her start in journalism and the necessity of getting stories out to news sources. After talking about how 90% of the worldwide media is owned by 4 corporations, Bazian reiterated the need for Illume and said that “History comes from the bottom up,” which is why we should all support Javed Ali and Illume.
The night went well and the crowd gained a better understanding of the importance of Illume and the ability for it to be a viable platform for Muslims. The fact that Ali has already produced 10 stellar issues of Illume leads to his credibility to achieve the goals laid out for the magazine, which include hiring Muslim and non Muslim interns and hosting media workshops (the latter in conjunction with the SBIA Media Committee).
Javed and comedian Preacher Moss, who closed out the night, at the first Illume Media Banquet and Fundraiser:
InshAllah may Illume become successful and provide the Muslim community with a voice to rival the mainstream media.
