Thursday, August 9, 2012

where i pray

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR Asks Romney to Explain Meeting with Infamous Islamophobe
Muslim rights group questions why candidate willing to hold private meeting with anti-Muslim extremist
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/9/12) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney to clarify his decision to meet privately with a key figure in the Islamophobia movement, retired Lieutenant General William G. "Jerry" Boykin.
Boykin asserts that "[Islam] should not be protected under the First Amendment," that there should be "no mosques in America" and that there can be no interfaith dialogue or cooperation between Muslims and Christians. In 2003, President Bush rebuked Boykin for his anti-Muslim stance.
Earlier this year, Boykin's extreme viewpoints resulted in him withdrawing from a prayer breakfast at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. CAIR and VoteVets.org, a coalition of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, had both asked the academy to retract the invitation because of Boykin's Islamophobic views.
"Romney would rightfully never meet with an anti-Semite or white supremacist, so why would he meet with an infamous Islamophobe?" said CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor.
Saylor added that Boykin's extremist views are well-documented and called on the Romney campaign to explain either why Boykin was not vetted or why a decision was made to have the candidate meet with a key figure in the domestic Islamophobia movement.
CAIR has been challenging Boykin's un-American bigotry for a number of years.
CAIR and People For the American Way objected to a speech Boykin gave to a mayor's prayer breakfast in Maryland. Hundreds of people contacted city officials to protest Boykin's appearance.
CAIR last year asked Romney to drop Walid Phares, a newly-appointed advisor on Middle East affairs, because he is a "former official" of a group implicated in the 1982 massacre of civilian men, women and children at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon.
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857, E-Mail:csaylor@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com
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UPDATE: A CAIR team yesterday visited the site of a burned Missouri mosque to meet with Muslim leaders and law enforcement officials. The team also took part in an interfaith Ramadan fast-breaking meal (iftar) at a local church on Wednesday evening.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR-MN PSA Campaign to Challenge Candidate's Anti-Islam Ads
Public service announcements feature Muslim 9/11 first responders, interfaith leaders
(MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 8/9/12) -- The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) said today that it will run public service announcements (PSAs) in response to anti-Islam campaign advertisements airing on local television stations. The anti-Islam ads are being run by controversial Tea Partier Gary Boisclair.
In a statement, the Muslim civil rights organization said:
"Attacks against American minorities are nothing new. In America's history, we have seen Mormons, Catholics, and people of the Jewish faith also accused of plans to subvert or damage America. Gary Boisclair seeks to marginalize an entire community and fails to understand American history, Islam and basic principles of decency.
"As we've witnessed in the recent Wisconsin Sikh shootings, this kind of rhetoric is dangerous for our country. It fuels hatred and creates fear and suspicion.
"Bosclair cannot win an election by engaging in fear-mongering, as this tactic does not represent Minnesotans or their values. Minnesota has one of the best interfaith environments in the nation. Just this month, Muslims and Christians in Minnesota worked together to organize Sharing Ramadan dinners in every major mosque in the state. We urge Minnesotans to learn about Islam, not from anti-Islam extremists like Gary Bosclair, but directly from their Muslim neighbors."
The PSA campaign features Muslim 9/11 first responders and interfaith leaders, and is designed to challenge the growing anti-Muslim bigotry in American society.
You can watch all the PSAs at www.cairmn.com
Broadcast-quality versions of the PSAs will be delivered to public service directors at local stations.
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR-MN Executive Director Lori Saroya, 612-327-6700, E-Mail:lsaroya@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com
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Tuesday, August 7, 2012


MEDIA ADVISORY
U.S. Muslim Groups Declare 'Day of Solidarity with the Syrian People'
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/4/12) –- On Friday, August 10, mosques and Islamic centers nationwide will take part in a "Day of Solidarity with the Syrian People" to raise awareness about the growing humanitarian disaster created by that nation's dictatorial regime and to raise funds for civilian relief assistance.
WHAT: National Day of Solidarity with the Syrian People at U.S. Mosques
WHEN: Friday, August 10, (Prayer times will vary.)
WHERE: Mosques Nationwide
CONTACT: To find a local mosque taking part in the solidarity campaign, contact Syrian American Council Director of Government Relations Mohammed A. Ghanem (571-263-1310,).
The "Save Syria" coalition of national Muslim and Syrian-American organizations,* is asking mosque religious leaders (imams) to dedicate their sermons (khutbas) during the normal Friday congregational prayers to urge support for the Syrian people and their desire for freedom.
Worshippers will be provided with information about accredited relief organizations serving civilians who have suffered at the hands of the Syrian regime. American Muslims and other people of conscience will also be asked to contact their elected representatives to urge action to help stop attacks on civilians.
[NOTE: On Saturday, September 8, thousands of people will take part in a "Walk for the Children of Syria" at locations nationwide. The events are designed to generate vital funds for Syrian children suffering under Assad's regime and to raise awareness about the increasing humanitarian catastrophe as a result of the regime's brutal anti-freedom crackdown. Proceeds from the walks event will benefit the work of UNICEF. For more details, CLICK HERE.]
*Sponsoring Organizations: (Alphabetical Order)
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
  • Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)
  • Islamic Relief USA 
  • Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
  • Muslim American Society (MAS)
  • Muslims Without Borders 
  • Syrian American Council (SAC)
  • Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS)
  • Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF)
  • Syrian Expatriates Organization (SEO) 
  • Syria Relief and Development (SRD)
  • United for Free Syria (UFS)
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CONTACT: Mohammed A. Ghanem, Director of Government Relations, Syrian American Council, 571-263-1310, E-Mail: m.ghanem@sacouncil.com; Sasha Ghosh-Siminoff, Executive Director, Syrian Emergency Task Force, 216-496-6370, E-Mail:sasha.ghoshsiminoff@gmail.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com
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  • Fight Against Islam Stretches Beyond Tenn. Mosque (Tennessean)
    Mosque opponents say they are fighting for the soul of America. Now that the mosque is set to open this month, they are changing their tactics and broadening the scope of their complaints against Islam. Their latest tactic is to protest requests for accommodations for Muslim students to pray in local schools.Dozens of critics of Islam showed up at a recent Rutherford County school board meeting to voice their disapproval. And they plan to oppose any attempts by local Muslims to influence life in Rutherford County.
    • Crosses Placed Near Tenn. Mosque Send a Message
      "It was more or less to make a statement to the Muslims about how we felt about our religion, our Christianity," said Mack Richards, a Middle Tennessee Baptist Church member who built the crosses at the request of Grace Baptist member and friend Bobby Francis. "We wanted them to see the crosses and know how we felt about things."
    • Muslims Battle 'Un-American' Bias (Wis. State Journal)
  • Muslim Arrests Remembered, Protested at Albany Mosque
    After the highly publicized FBI sting operation , Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain were sentenced to fifteen years in federal prison. To this day, many people believe the government targeted them because they are Muslim, entrapped them, and took their lives away.
  • Ramadan Sees Rise in Demand for Halal Meat (Post-Gazette)
    During Ramadan, demand for halal meat -- which is slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law -- is up at local grocers and producers, as members of Pittsburgh's Muslim communities look to prepare meals for the nightly break-fast meals.
  • CAIR: U.S. Muslim Solidarity for Syria
    Dozens of mosques and Islamic centers across the United States will join hands in a solidarity protest with the Syrian people next week to raise awareness about the ongoing humanitarian disaster created by the dictatorial regime of President Bashar Al-Assad.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR: American Muslims Stand with Sikhs After Wis. Shootings
Houses of worship urged to review advice in CAIR community safety kit
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/5/12) –- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said today that American Muslims "stand with their Sikh brothers and sisters" following a deadly shooting attack targeting a house of worship of that faith this morning in Wisconsin.
In a statement, the Washington-based Muslim civil rights organization said:
"While details of the attack and the motivation of the attacker are still emerging, American Muslims stand with their Sikh brothers and sisters in this time of crisis and loss. We condemn this senseless act of violence, pray for those who were killed or injured and offer sincere condolences to their loved ones."
CAIR officials are in contact with the Milwaukee Muslim community as it offers support to its Sikh neighbors.
Because of this and other violent incidents, CAIR is urging mosques and houses of worship of all faiths nationwide to review advice on security procedures contained in its "Muslim Community Safety Kit."
CAIR has in the past spoken out against bias-motivated attacks on American Sikhs. [NOTE: Sikh men who wear beards and turbans as part of their faith are often targeted by bigots who mistake them for Muslims.]
Last year, CAIR offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals who gunned down two elderly Sikh men in Elk Grove, Calif.
In 2010, CAIR called for an FBI investigation of an attack on a Sikh cab driver in West Sacramento, Calif. The driver said his passengers made anti-Muslim remarks during the attack. Two men were later arrested on charges of felony assault and commission of a hate crime.
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail:ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR Offers $10K Reward After Mo. Mosque Destroyed by Fire
Mosque previously targeted by arsonist; CAIR calls for stepped-up police protection at religious institutions
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/6/12) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called for stepped-up police protection at Muslim institutions and other houses of worship nationwide after a fire destroyed a Missouri mosque that had previously been targeted by an arsonist and after yesterday's deadly shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.
CAIR is also offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever may have caused today's fire. The Washington-based Muslim civil rights organization is in touch with the FBI about the case.
Fire officials are investigating the second fire at the Islamic Society of Joplin this summer. The blaze, which engulfed the entire structure, was reported early Monday. Mosque officials tell CAIR the facility, valued at an estimated $600,000, had been targeted by bias-motivated incidents a number of times in the past.
A small fire at the same building in July was determined to be arson. At that time, CAIR called for state and federal hate crime investigations of the fire.
Yesterday, CAIR issued a statement expressing the Muslim community's solidarity with Sikhs following a deadly shooting at a house of worship of that faith in Wisconsin.
The alleged perpetrator of that act of domestic terrorism reportedly had a "9/11 tattoo on one arm." CAIR noted that Sikh men who wear beards and turbans as part of their faith are often targeted by bigots who mistake them for Muslims.
"These disturbing incidents point to the urgent need for increased police protection for Muslim and Sikh houses of worship nationwide," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "If left unchallenged, religious intolerance can and does harm innocent people."
Because of these two most recent incidents targeting American houses of worship, and because of previous attacks on American mosques, CAIR is urging religious leaders nationwide to review advice on security procedures contained in its "Muslim Community Safety Kit."
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR-St. Louis Executive Director Faizan Syed, 636-207-8882, 314-330-2946, E-Mail: fsyed@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, arubin@cair.com


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  • CAIR-Philadelphia Files Bias Suit Against Whole Foods Market 
    The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia) and the law firm of Swartz Swidler, LLC (Swartz Swidler) have filed a law suit against Whole Foods Market alleging religious discrimination, retaliation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
  • Murfreesboro Mosque Granted Temporary Occupancy Permit
  • Under Attack as Muslims in the U.S. (NY Times)
    Muslims in Western countries say they have gotten used to the fact that as elections get closer, politicians pump up the volume of accusations against them.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR Issues Safety Advisory After Another Mosque Targeted
Video captures vandal smashing sign outside Rhode Island mosque
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/7/12) -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today issued a community safety advisory for American mosques following another incident targeting an Islamic house of worship, this time in Rhode Island.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Muslims in North Smithfield, R.I., have asked for extra police protection after the sign for Masjid Al-Islam was vandalized early Sunday. Surveillance video shows a man smashing the sign with a hammer and then driving away.
That incident follows yesterday's fire that destroyed a Missouri mosque and the deadly shooting attack Sunday on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.
[MEDIA ADVISORY: CAIR officials will travel to Joplin, Mo., on Wednesday to meet with Muslim leaders and law enforcement officials. They will also take part in an interfaith Ramadan fast-breaking meal (iftar) at a local church on Wednesday evening.]
"We urge Muslim leaders nationwide to take immediate steps to boost security, particularly in the last ten days of the ongoing fast of Ramadan, when religious activities at mosques reach their peak," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.
Awad said recommended security measures, which are based on CAIR's "Muslim Community Safety Kit," include:
  • Reaching out to local law enforcement authorities to request stepped up patrols in the area of a mosque.
  • Meeting with elected officials to discuss safety concerns.
  • Installing video surveillance cameras, alarms and perimeter lighting.
  • Documenting descriptions of suspicious people or vehicles.
  • Backing up important records at an offsite location.
  • Cooperating with local neighborhood watch groups.
CAIR is also asking local Muslim communities to take actions outlined in its "Guide to Challenging Islamophobia," which offers tips on dealing with anti-Islam rhetoric on the Internet, in the workplace and in schools and universities. The guide also offers advice for challenging anti-Muslim views espoused by public figures.
Yesterday, CAIR called for stepped-up police protection at Muslim institutions and other houses of worship nationwide and offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever may have caused the Missouri fire.
Awad noted that CAIR issued a statement expressing the Muslim community's solidarity with Sikhs following the Wisconsin killings.
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail:ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, arubin@cair.com

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Friday, August 3, 2012




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  • Hadith of the Day: God Accepts Supplications of Those Who Fast
  • CAIR Op-Ed: The System Worked for Tennessee Muslims
    It wasn't pretty, but the system worked. Muslims in Murfreesboro will be able to worship in their community, just as the First Amendment of our Constitution envisioned centuries ago.
  • CAIR: Islamophobia and the Republican Party (Al Jazeera)
    They are given a prominent platform at national conferences, where they brand people like this writer and groups devoted to the defense of Muslims in America--organizations such as [CAIR], and the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee--as dupes or apologists for radical Islamists.
    • Video: CAIR Rep Discusses GOP's Anti-Muslim Rhetoric (RT)
      CAIR's Corey Saylor joins Thom Hartmann. How much damage is the Republican love affair with dog-whistle politics doing to American society? 
    • CAIR-WA: Bachmann's Anti-Muslim Fear-Mongering (Seattle Times)
      A first step toward the goal of honest, civil discourse is to expose and marginalize the influence of the individuals and groups whose Islamophobia is dividing Americans against one another through misinformation.
    • House Intelligence Committee Members Condemn Bachmann
    • NY Republican Panders to Anti-Mosque Extremists (Brooklyn Daily)
      State Sen. David Storobin has joined the hopeless fight against a mosque in Sheepshead Bay--a battle that's been repeatedly quashed in the courts and has left political insiders believing that the newly minted legislator is more concerned with winning votes than helping mosque opponents.
    • TN: Anti-Islam Words Torn from Hate Playbook (Tennessean)
      Thanks to politicians like Zelenik and the Williamson County GOP, Tennessee has become a battleground for the anti-Muslim movement and those who argue that American Muslims are disloyal, subversive and simply "different."
  • CAIR: Muslim Rights Group Battles Anti-Islam Military Lecturer
    Kahlili's July 22 article for The Daily Caller about [American] mosques, universities and tech companies as havens for terrorism--was what prompted the council to contact the Department of Defense, according to a [CAIR] spokesman. 
  • CAIR: Deported Priest Shares Thoughts on Syria at Va. Church
    "Syria, A Christian Perspective," was co-hosted by Rock Spring Church, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Syrian American Council and the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church.
  • Confused 911 Caller Outs NYPD Muslim Spying in NJ (AP)
    The NYPD kept files on innocent sermons, recorded the names of political organizers in police documents and built databases of where Muslims lived and shopped, even where they were likely to gather to watch sports.

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  • adith of the Day: A Sincere Fast
    The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever does not give up false statements, evil deeds and speaking (harshly) to others, God is not in need of his giving up food and drink." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith 83)
  • Sharia Law Roils Tenn. GOP Primary (Politico)
    Tennessee multimillionaire Andy Miller has been warning for years about the lurking threat he says Sharia law poses to America. But this summer, his anti-Islam campaign has become the main act of a riveting Middle Tennessee congressional race, as Miller has pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into a pair of super PACs aiming to take out GOP freshman Rep. Diane Black in her Thursday primary.
    • When the Caliphate Comes, Lou Ann Zelenik Will Be ReadySince losing to Black in 2010, Zelenik has ratcheted up the anti-Islam rhetoric that defined her first campaign.
    • Tenn. Candidate: No Evidence Muslim Hired for Sharia Compliance
      A candidate in the Republican primary for state Senate made strong charges aimed at the state's economic development department, saying that it had hired a woman specializing in Sharia law in order to make the department Sharia compliant. But even Degan admits he has no evidence.
  • CAIR: Fla. Law Enforcement Under Scrutiny for Anti-Islam Trainer 
    Sam Kharoba fancies himself an "expert" on terrorism. The Jordanian-born Kharoba, a Christian, believes the founder of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad, is a "pedophile, a serial killer, a rapist." And he's teaching the police officers of Florida, where he is based, these claims in courses on Islam and terrorism.
  • Why a Dallas Pastor Is Observing Ramadan
    United Methodist Rev. Wess Magruder has not only decided to observe the Ramadan fast this year with his Muslim friends, blog about his experience, but break his fast with Muslims as well.
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