Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

16
Muslim Voice Special Ramadan Feature P. 12 MONTHLY NEWSPAPER WWW.AZMUSLIMVOICE.COM VOL.17 ISSUE NO.191 AUGUST 2012 SHABAN/RAMADAN 1433H Mitt Romney’s Jerusalem Speech Panders to the Right-Wing 11 Shariah compliant forestry fund Egypt’s First Lady Represents New Image Act Now for Burmese Muslims! 602-625-9357 See Ad Details Page 8 ReAl eStAte services For the first time in Arizona For the first time in Arizona 1819 W. Buckeye Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85007 Phone: 602-253-7427 See Ad Page 9 Vote on www.azmuslimvoice.com Poll: Do you think an Islamist Gov. in Egypt will be a threat to Israel? Is the US policy toward the Middle East going to be balanced anytime soon? Last month’s results: Yes No Yes 50% No 50% Continued on page Continued on page 12 5 10 7 NEW LOOK The Value of Good Health Muslim Voice By Fathiyyah Bashshar Good health is the greatest boon. It is a gift of God to man. It is one of the most precious possessions of man. Good health is a blessing. All the beauties appear attractive to a man so long he is healthy. For an unhealthy man there is no charm in this world. Health is the greatest wealth for a man. We all are quite familiar with the famous lines of Alexander Pope, The Fasting of Ramadan: A Time for Thought, Action, and Change! “Fasting in Ramadan develops in a person the real spirit of social belonging, of unity and brotherhood, and of equality before God. This spirit is the natural product of the fact that when people fast they feel that they are joining the whole Muslim society (which makes up more than one fifth of world’s population) in observing the same duty, in the same manner, at the same time, for the same motives, and for the same end. No sociologist or historian can say that there has been at any period of history anything comparable to this powerful institution of Islam: Fasting in the month of Ramadan. People have been crying throughout the ages for acceptable ‘belonging’, for unity, for brotherhood, for equality, but how echoless their voices have been, and how very little success they for more information 602-258-7770 Now AvAilAble Arabic & Assyrian Chaldean Yellow Pages Arabic & Assyrian Chaldean Yellow Pages Special Ramadan Feature P. 12 New America Media, Op-ed, William O. Beeman, Mitt Romney’s foreign policy speech to the Jerusalem Foundation in Israel on Sunday qualified him to be President—of Israel. His observations were as remarkable for what he didn’t say as for what he did. They could have been written by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, for they parallel his thinking almost exactly, and they were sharply at odds with current U.S. policy toward the region. Mr. Romney didn’t mention the Palestinians (although he later made an invidious comparison of Palestinians to Israelis that was deemed racist by Palestinian officials), nor did he offer any remarks on the settlements in the West Bank—arguably Israel’s most pressing problem. Indeed, he explicitly called for Americans not to engage in any criticism of Israel at all, since Israelis seemed to be capable of self-critique.

description

August 2012 issue of Muslim Voice newspaper. Published in Phoenix Arizona.

Transcript of Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

Page 1: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

Muslim Voice Special Ramadan Feature P. 12

Monthly newspaper www.aZMusliMVoice.coM Vol.17 issue no.191auGust 2012 shaBan/raMaDan 1433h

Mitt romney’s Jerusalem speech panders to the right-wing

11Shariahcompliant forestry fund

Egypt’s First Lady Represents New Image

Act Now for Burmese Muslims!

602-625-9357See Ad Details Page 8

ReAl eStAteservices For the first

time in ArizonaFor the first

time in Arizona

1819 W. Buckeye Rd.Phoenix, AZ 85007

Phone: 602-253-7427

See Ad Page 9

Vote on www.azmuslimvoice.com

Poll:

Do you think an Islamist Gov. in Egypt will be a threat to Israel?

Is the US policy toward the Middle East going to be balanced anytime soon?

Last month’s results:

Yes No

Yes 50% No 50%

Continued on page

Continued on page

12

5

107

New Look

The Value of Good Health Muslim Voice

By Fathiyyah Bashshar

Good health is the greatest boon. It is a gift of God to man. It is one of the most precious possessions of man.

Good health is a blessing. All the beauties appear attractive to a man so long he is healthy. For an unhealthy man there is no charm in this world. Health is the greatest wealth for a man.

We all are quite familiar with the famous lines of Alexander Pope,

The Fasting of Ramadan: A Time for Thought, Action, and Change!

“Fasting in Ramadan develops in a person the real spirit of social belonging, of unity and brotherhood, and of equality before God. This spirit is the natural product of the fact that when people fast they feel that they are joining the whole Muslim society (which makes up more than one fifth of world’s population) in observing the same duty, in the same manner, at the same time, for the same motives, and for the same end. No sociologist or historian can say that there has been at any period of history anything comparable to this powerful institution of Islam: Fasting in the month of Ramadan. People have been crying throughout the ages for acceptable ‘belonging’, for unity, for brotherhood, for equality, but how echoless their voices have been, and how very little success they

for more information602-258-7770

Now AvAilAble

Arabic & Assyrian

ChaldeanY e l l o w P a g e s

Arabic & Assyrian

ChaldeanY e l l o w P a g e s

Special Ramadan Feature P. 12

New America Media, Op-ed, William O. Beeman,

Mitt Romney’s foreign policy speech to the Jerusalem Foundation in Israel on Sunday qualified him to be President—of Israel. His observations were as remarkable for what he didn’t say as for what he did. They could have been written by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, for they parallel his thinking almost exactly, and they were sharply at odds with current U.S. policy toward the region. Mr. Romney didn’t mention the Palestinians (although he later made an invidious comparison of Palestinians to Israelis that was deemed racist by Palestinian officials), nor did he offer any remarks on the settlements in the West Bank—arguably Israel’s most pressing problem. Indeed, he explicitly called for Americans not to engage in any criticism of Israel at all, since Israelis seemed to be capable of self-critique.

Page 2: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

2 auGust 2012 www.aZMusliMVoice.coMCARTOON / LOCAL

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

TERMS uSED IN THIS pApERAlhamdulilah: Praise GodAllah: Arabic word for GodFatwa: Islamic decision based on Shari’aHadith: Sayings of the Prophet MohammadHajj: 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 messenger” 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 by

PUBLISHER BrEEk PUBLISHING INC.

EDItor IN CHIEf MArWAN [email protected]

CoMMUNItY EDItor JANAN [email protected]

CoNtrIBUtING WrItErSSumbal Akhter • Mohamud Shalab •

fathiyyah Bashshar • Ahmad Daniels • Yousef Ahmad • Hasana Abdul-Quadir

Art DESIGN EXPrESSDESIGN EXPrESS

ADVErtISEMENtS602-258-7770

[email protected]

MusLiM Voice1624 W. Thomas • Phoenix, AZ 85015

Phone: (602) 258-7770Fax: 1(866) 859-8595

Email: [email protected] for submission of letters is the 20th of every month, and for advertisements by the 25th. Only letters and articles submitted 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.

Attorneys• Immigration Attorneys, 602-234-0782

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

Grocery Stores• Salam Market 480-967-8009• Haji Baba 480-894-1905• Zamzam 602-220-9205

Investment• Amana Income Fund, 888/37-AMANA• Investology inc., 703-459-0969

Physicians• Inayat M. Alikhan, 480-945-2558

Real estate• Noma Group INC., 602-625-9357• Shahnawaz Currim, 480-839-2600

Restaurant• Krispy Krunchy 602-253-7427

 

Arizona Cultural Academy & College Prep  includes a new 

PRE-MONTESSORI ISLAMIC DAYCARE

OPEN AUGUST 22, 2012 FOR CHILDREN 1‐3 YRS

Exceptional education in a caring Islamic environment.

PRE MONTESSORI DAYCARE Qualified and caring staff 

New covered playground with soft, artificial grass 

Montessori methods of discovery and independent learning 

Introduction to Arabic and Quran, with a masjid on campus 

Healthy Halal snacks   

 

Page 3: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

www.aZMusliMVoice.coM auGust 2012 3

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.

undocumented immigrants steer clear of arizonaLOCAL

Page 4: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

4 auGust 2012 www.aZMusliMVoice.coM

a terrorist is a terrorist: not a Muslim

OpINION

the raMaDan eFFectBy roumen Bezergianov

the primary motivation of the Muslim fast is to worship God. from this spring many other

benefits, including: enhancing empathy for those who are in need; positive health effects as noted by many health professionals, and overall improved sense of psychological well-being. that is why for centuries Muslims have anticipated ramadan like a dear guest.

this paper examines several specific benefits from a psychological perspective. Namely, I have noticed over the years that people are able to successfully quit tobacco and alcohol use during the month of ramadan. I was born in Bulgaria and during communism the practice of religion was strictly forbidden. Under those conditions the consumption of alcohol in the country and among Muslims increased. tobacco use was also on the rise. Living in a small, close community, one was able to witness the peculiarities of human behavior longitudinally. Most people were born, lived and died in the same place, and this offered great lessons for those who paid attention.

During ramadan a frequent topic of discussion in the community was the fact that many alcoholics would quit drinking in order to fast and pray and resume “their habit” at the end of the month. Each year some would take an official oath of quitting tobacco or alcohol for good, “in the name of God”, and that would be the end of it. We were taught that when you say “Wallahi”, i.e. “by God”, you must really mean it and that was the highest form of commitment and assurance. Such oaths are not taken lightly and the person doing so is fully aware that taking such an oath is not the beginning but the end of the long road to recovery.

I finally came up with the term “ramadan Effect” when I successfully stopped my own tobacco use by employing ramadan principles in dealing with cravings. Prior to this, I had been trying to quit unsuccessfully for a couple of years, each time relapsing and getting a sense of eroding will-power and decreased self-efficacy. the fact that my father had died of lung cancer secondary to tobacco use helped me in wanting to quit, but did not help me in quitting. In 2006 I was talking to my wife about the blessings of

this holy month when she asked: “Why don’t you use ramadan to quit smoking?” And I remembered the eccentric alcoholics and smokers from my childhood. I was not ready to take the official oath like many of them had done to quit for good, but decided I would try to quit by telling myself that “for now” I am fasting from tobacco. Just like with regular fasting, this fast from tobacco would need to be perceived as a form of worship too. I counted the days I did not smoke, which turned into weeks, which turned into months, and eventually I stopped counting. By activating this ramadan Effect, I cut off all of my previous justifications for relapsing. When the mind is in a fasting frame, it simply does not entertain the cravings and their “propaganda”. It interprets them the same way it interprets the hunger and thirst during the fast—“gets used to them like the horse is used to the saddle”, to use a Bosnian proverb. the cravings gradually subsided and disappeared and it was no longer a struggle. the battle was won. “of all the cures God has created, patience is the best,” says the great Muslim teacher and poet rumi.

As a believer I see this success primarily as God’s acceptance of my worship. However, how this acceptance happens on psychological and physiological level is of interest to me as a therapist. When people try to overcome a chemical dependence using only their will power, certain cognitive centers in the brain activate and initiate the struggle. Sometimes that is sufficient and sometimes it is not. My speculation is that the schemas associated with the ramadan Effect are much more complex and powerful and the resources they can summon are more holistic and systemic, tapping also into the emotional and spiritual centers and not solely in the cognitive ones.

the ramadan Effect is something that millions of people around the world share. this is only an attempt to show how this common resource can be generalized to specific areas in our life where we face challenges in implementing successful behavioral change. By the same logic the ramadan Effect can be employed for weight loss and nutritional improvement.

roumen Bezergianov is the author of “Character Education with Chess”, available on Amazon.

By Manar Hijaz

A gunman in body armor and wearing

a gas mask opened fire on a packed theater at the midnight premier of the Dark knight rises in a suburb of Denver Colorado. James Holmes, 24, hurled a gas canister into the theater then opened fire on the moviegoers using an assault rifle, shotgun and a pistol that resulted in the death of 12 people and the injury of over 55 individuals. An fBI spokesman was quick to state that the event was not related to terrorism. Instead, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper described the incident as the work of a “very deranged mind.” As this news story emerged, I couldn’t help but think of how differently the incident would have been received had the shooter been a Muslim. this wouldn’t be the first time a terrorist act was committed yet it was deemed something else. recall Andrew Joseph of north Austin, texas? the man who smashed an aircraft into an IrS office building, where nearly 200 employees were working, because he was unhappy with the government, big business, and the tax system. Instead of the standard portrait of a terrorist, Joseph was deemed a man with marital troubles and a large grudge against tax authorities.

So, it becomes necessary to ask: What constitutes a terrorist act? According to the U.N. General Assembly, terrorist acts are “criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public.” If we accept this definition to be true, then both above examples are, in fact, terrorist acts and should be classified as such. However, they were not. Why? Perhaps there is an invisible part of the definition of what it means to be a terrorist; one that involves an ethnic depiction of what a terrorist should look like. the post 9/11 Era in the United States has crated a society in which the classification of “terrorist” is reserved for Muslims and any Middle Eastern individual mistaken for a Muslim. Contemporary Western discourse has always suggested that

the “other” portrays the standard image of a terrorist and not an individual of White or European decent. thus, in the U.S, painting a picture of what a typical terrorist should look like does not involve anyone who is White. It becomes a concealed part of the definition that the “other”—those who do not exhibit homogeneity with liberal Western culture and those who do not look “American”—provide the standard description of a terrorist. of course, this ethnic component cannot be openly expressed in the definition because it undermines this county’s capacity for tolerance—that is if we accept it to be the willingness and ability to tolerate diverse individuals, cultures, religions and behaviors—which the United States is said to exemplify.

Since September 11th, 2001, American Muslims have been expected to deprecate terrorism and violence more than any other individual. It is unacceptable to expect all American Muslims to be contrite for the events that took place on 9/11. Doing this would imply that all Muslims, collectively, are to blame for the actions of a few extremists. Averring that it is justifiable to blame an entire group of people for the actions of a few implies that all White individuals could be blamed for the actions of Holmes and Joseph. this logic is irrational and becomes prejudiced when the word “Muslim” becomes synonymous with “terrorist.” there is a larger dilemma that needs to be highlighted here, and that is the hypocritical and racist manner at which the U.S. government and major law enforcement agencies operate in this country. these institutions’ propensity for racial discrimination has been concealed behind a so-called high reputation for probity, when in reality they function by secreting their hypocrisy and biasness. We need to demand that our government and law enforcement agencies stipulate equal and fair criteria for a terrorist and that the sentencing is the same no matter where the individual comes from. A terrorist does not have a specific race or ethnicity. What makes an individual a terrorist is their actions and not what part of the world they are born.

Instilling a love of their Muslim Identities

Includes Quran, Aqeedah, Self & Team Building, Games, Arts & Crafts, Duas

and Anasheed, Storytime and much more

$250 per childAsk about our Sibling DiscountRegister today! Call 480-659-6714 to sign upHurry!! Seats are limited!

Proud to be MuslimRAMADANCAMP

For Ages 4-15Days: M, T, THTimes: 4-6 pmJuly 23 - August 15

Pax Academy Open HouseJuly 17, 2012; 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Free Art Lesson and Wushu Demo!-See the individualized academics program-Learn about the exclusive character education-Partake in the amazing arts program-Hear about bilingual education for Chinese and Arabic

www.paxacademy.orgCall (480) 659-6714 for more information.

**Special Open House Enrollment Discount**7541 S. Willow Dr • Tempe, AZ 85284

Page 5: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

www.aZMusliMVoice.coM auGust 2012 5OpINION

“Early to bed and early to rise/ Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise/ Health, wealth, fame and power/ these four are the blessings of life.” Good health depends on various factors like personal, social. etc. It requires a certain amount of discipline to maintain health.

Nutritious food plays a very important role. Cleanliness is another major factor responsible for good health. We should always take nutritious food. We should keep fast food at bay. Fast food is rich in taste but short in nutritive value. We should always clean our hands before eating. We should avoid eating outside. If we have to eat, we should check for the cleanliness.

Our brilliance and sharpness is closely linked to good health. It is an old saying, “Sound mind in a sound body.” It means that when the body is healthy, the mind is healthy. A sack body cannot have healthy mind. The attitude of such People to life is also gloomy. They have a negative approach to it. Nothing seems to attract them. On the other hand, a healthy man has a completely changed outlook. He enjoys each and every thing. He enjoys the every moment of his life.

He can work longer hours without feeling tired and exhausted. A wealthy man with poor health cannot enjoy his life. All this wealth is useless for him. Money can buy all the luxuries and amenities but cannot buy happiness and pleasure. He has all the luxuries available, but can enjoy nothing. He cannot enjoy good food. He spends his life under many precautions and preventions. He cannot enjoy even sound sleep. But a poor man with good health lives a better life. He has all the pleasures. He can eat whatever he likes. Thus a poor man with good health has a more enjoying life than a rich but sick man. It has been rightly said ‘health is wealth’.

So we should be well aware of our health. Exercise has a prominent role to play. We should take exercise daily. It keeps us fit and healthy. It refreshes us. Exercise increases our blood circulation and gives us energy and strength. All exercises are good for health. We can choose any of them as per our suitability. Balancing one’s hours of sleep and rest also contributes to good health. We should guard ourselves against those things which are injurious to health.

To enjoy good health we should cultivate good habits and maintain discipline. Only then we will be able to enjoy the pleasures of life. Undoubtedly good health is very important. It is a blessing indeed.

Islam teaches us many etiquette’s of eating and drinking. The Prophet (PBUH) made a point of developing remarkably clean and healthy eating habits among his followers. He asked the companions to wash their hands before and after, to start eating with the praise of Allah, to eat using the right hand, not to eat until they really felt hungry, not to eat and drink excessively. Finally, by praising and thanking Allah for the food and drink, for making it easy to swallow and for producing an exit for it.

Eating, like any other act of a Muslim, is a matter of worship when performed

according to the Islamic guidelines. The following are SOME of the many food habits that had been practiced and performed by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him):

(1) Never Criticize Any food

Food should not be criticized for any reason, despite personal disliking.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) never criticized any food that was offered to him.

“The Prophet (PBUH) never criticized any food (he was invited to) but he used to eat it if he liked the food, and leave it if he disliked it.”- Sahih Bukhari

(2) Supplication Before Each Meal

Since eating, like any other act of a Muslim, is a matter of worship, it begins with the name of Allah.

Muslims are to start their eating by making the following supplication:

“O Allah! Bless the food you have bestowed upon us and protect us from the torment of hell. In the name of Allah we start.” (OR AT LEAST SAy..Bismillah)- An-Nasa’i

(3) Supplication After Each Meal

After completing the meal, Muslims praise and thank Allah for the blessing that He bestowed upon them. After finishing their meal, Muslims say the following supplication:

“Praise be to Allah the One Who gave us the food and the drinks. Praise be to Him Who made us Muslims.”

(OR AT LEAST SAy..Al-Humdullilah)

- Tirmidhi & Abu Dawud

(4) Eating Less

One of the main principles of good health is a balanced diet. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized the habit of eating less as a method of preventing sickness and disease. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“Nothing is worse than a person who fills his stomach. It should be enough for the son of Adam to have a few bites to satisfy his hunger. If he wishes more, it should be: One-third for his food, one-third for his liquids, and one-third for his breath.”- Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah

(5) Eating Slowly

Eating slowly is recommended for health. Slow eating reduces the consumption of food, as it postpones much of the meal to a time when the absorption of nutrients begin to produce physiological signals of satiety.

Slow eating helps in chewing the food well. This results in the exercise of the jaws and mixing of the saliva with food. Hence, efficient digestion takes place because the food particles are cut into smaller pieces, not requiring as much churning in the stomach or intestine.(less Heartburn)

(6) Moderation

The religion of Islam laid down the basis of dietary regulations as well as the limits within which Islam teaches man to enjoy the pleasures of life, including food, in a moderate way, not becoming a slave to his desires and not losing sight of his ultimate spiritual goal.

A Muslim is advised to avoid extremes

and to choose a moderate course in all his affairs, including his eating habits.

“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.”- Al- Qur’an, 7:31

(7) Sharing

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), demonstrated to his followers the pleasures of sharing as opposed to over-indulgence in the good things of life. The sharing of food with neighbors, relatives, friends, the needy, and the destitute is emphasized. Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying:

“He is not a believer who eats to his fill but his neighbor goes without food.”Sahih Bukhari

Prophet Muhammad elaborated on the duty of the Muslim to suppress greed, especially in eating. This appears in a very specific situation reported by Ibn Umar, in which the Prophet (PBUH) prohibited anyone taking two dates together before asking permission from his companions (Sahih Bukhari).

(8) Eating together

Eating with others bring about harmony and understanding among people. People are usually more relaxed when eating in company, this is one reason why families should always try to eat Together, not to mention this is the Sunnah of our Beloved Prophet (PBUH) your mind is less absorbed in

your daily activities and are free of worries. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) brought the attention of Muslims to the importance of eating together (Note: ‘Eating together’ here does not imply mixed eating by males and females at parties or banquets):

“Eat together and not separately, for the blessing is associated with the company.”

The Prophet (PBUH) used to know what he was eating. He used to eat what was good for him.

He taught his ummah something to protect them from diseases caused by eating and drinking. He said: “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the

son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going. If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink and one third with air.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1381), Ibn Maajah (3349); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (2265).

And Allah knows best.

From all that has been mentioned, the importance of healthy eating, a balanced diet and hygiene can be understood in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Islam has stressed on the importance of these things right from the start unlike health authorities etc., which have just recently begun to stress its importance. This could be counted as just another gem that manifests the perfection of Islam.

the Value of Good health

NoticeBreek Publishing and its subsidiaries Muslim Voice, Arab Voice, Arabic Yellow

Pages and Multicultural Yellow Pages will stop doing business with the following companies due to refusal to pay monies owed to Breek Publishing inc.:

United Immigration ServicesNile Cafe

Station on McDowell/Dow Law OfficeMediterranean Buffet

Irene’s Happy DaycareJerusalem Foods

Prime GlassMagic Cut

We decided to publish this list after we exhausted all diplomatic ways to collect from these companies and their owners for past months and years in some cases. We have full docu-mentations proving their liabilities toward Breek Publishing inc. We also have found out that some of these businesses have a history of avoiding payments and escaping debts.

Contiued from p.1

Page 6: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

6 auGust 2012 www.aZMusliMVoice.coM NATIONAL

the world continues to keep a wary eye on Iran’s nuclear program, in nearby Syria the pro-Iranian government of Bashir al-Assad is on the brink of collapse and tel Aviv accuses tehran of being behind the fatal suicide bombing of a bus in Bulgaria which carried Israeli tourists. Yet chicken, or lack thereof, makes daily front-page headlines and is the obsessive subject of scores of cartoons that appear in both state-owned and independent media in Iran.

today’s Iranian media are a far cry from the initial post-revolutionary years when tV came to be known as pashm-o-shisheh (wool and glass) as the airwaves were dominated by talking heads of bearded clerics in absence of any music or other form of entertainment. Now dozens of state-controlled radio and tV channels pump out music—usually of horrid taste—around the clock and there is even an equivalent of the Home Shopping Network knows as Bazaar.

Yet amid this permissive trend it may soon become imperative to ban images that are currently of particular lasciviousness to the Iranian eye—those of chicken eating.

According to a blog on the website of the french daily Le Monde, the chief of the Iranian national police Esma’il Ahmadi Moghadam, has made a plea to the media apparatus to censor images of people who are relishing any dish that contains chicken.

As the holy month of ramadan approaches and devout Muslims begin to fast, Iran’s favorite but increasingly unobtainable poultry will not likely be an iftar dish when the sun goes down.

religious considerations aside, the suggested proscription by the police chief may seem odd to most non-Iranians who are unaware of the pivotal importance of food in Iran. In a country

where shame and honor anchor the national psyche, food is the chief instrument of creating and fulfilling social obligations. It is the primary gift, a form of material and psychological bribe, as well as the signal from parents to children that they are out of the doghouse.

Eating and not sharing, particularly when children are present, is a dark taboo. Wealthy Iranians can easily afford any meat whose prices, even at inflated rates, are comparable to those at American supermarkets; it is the poor who suffer. In absence of a chicken in every pot, the police chief’s suggested censorship is not as orwellian as it may seem. It is more out of consideration for children who would have to bear witness to images of chicken being devoured on tv.

the obama administration continues to regard sanctions as the cornerstone of its foreign policy toward Iran, but it fails to understand that the approach hurts only the most vulnerable of Iranians, particularly children and women of

little means and even lesser voices. the hope that deteriorating living standards will lead to political uprising is dubious. With the government’s equal capacity for violence against dissent, the status quo can be maintained indefinitely.

All said, there may be a way for the state media to avoid running “afowl” with the police. It needs to delete all scenes of chicken eating on television-- save for those which are intrinsic to the plot.

chicken is the new Food porn in iran

EEAARRNN aann AASSSSOOCCIIAATTEE’’SS DDEEGGRREEEE aatt aann IISSLLAAMMIICC HHIIGGHH SSCCHHOOOOLL

Accredited Pre K - 12 Arizona Cultural Academy

Join College at junior level

Masjid on Campus

New Gymnasium, Youth Center, Computer & Science Labs

Something to smile about Earn College Credits College scholarship! Concurrent & dual Enrollments Save College Tuition $$$ Up to 2 years!

CCaallll TTooddaayy (602) 454-1222 VViissiitt && DDoonnaattee at www.azacademy.org

Page 7: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

www.aZMusliMVoice.coM auGust 2012 7 NATIONAL

egypt’s First lady represents new image

MIDDLE EASTERN FOODHAJI 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

Ahmed tharwat

Editorial note: Mohammed Morsi’s victory as Egypt’s first elected civilian president—and first leader with a PhD—also brings the first traditionally Islamic first Lady.

MINNEAPoLIS, Minn.--the world now knows that Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood’s freedom and Justice Party became the first civilian elected president in Egypt’s long history on June 24. But this isn’t the only “first” that Morsi has brought to the Egyptian political landscape.

Morsi is the first Islamist to get to the presidential palace. He is the first Egyptian president with Mohammed as an actual first name—although Hosni Mubarak and Anwar Sadat injected “Mohammed” into their names for Islamic flavor.

Also, he is the first Egyptian president to hold a PhD degree, which he earned in engineering at the University of Southern California (USC). And he is the first president to win a competitive election, where Egyptians had--for the first time--the opportunity to choose from more than one candidate.

Her fashion Statement — A full Hajib

An additional “first” that has garnered attention from the West — especially among Americans — is that Morsi’s wife, as the first Lady, is also the first to wear an abaya, the traditional Islamic dress and full coverage hijab.

Her name is Najla Mahmoud. Born in Cairo in 1962, she is Mohammad Morsi’s first cousin (don’t panic, they do it in texas) and married Morsi in 1979. the couple has four sons and a daughter.

Egypt’s new first Lady lived in the

United States with her husband while he studied at USC. She has been an active member of the Brotherhood

for many years running multiple charity projects, particularly in the field of education, and she worked as a translator at the same time.

Even by Egyptian standards she is a very different first Lady.

the new first Lady received a fair amount of ridiculous coverage from Egyptian liberal media and so-called secular Egyptians. Some even questioned if she is “really fit to represent Egypt.” Her image has become the subject of a rancorous debate on Egyptian websites and in newspapers.

A column in the newspaper El fagr asked sarcastically, “How could she receive world leaders and still adhere to her traditional Islamic standards of modesty?” the paper added, “Don’t look at her. Don’t shake hands with her,” in stating that her new status presents a “comic scenario.”

traditionally the role of the Egyptian first Lady is an invisible one. the past first Lady, Suzanne Mubarak, lived in Hosni Mubarak’s shadow, running charity organizations and meeting dignitaries.

According to a recent interview in Egyptian press, the new first Lady does not even like the title. She told the media, “Islam taught us that the next president is the first servant of Egypt, this means that his wife is also the servant of Egypt. Any title that has been forced upon us must be gone with. It should disappear from my political and social dictionary.”

Everybody’s Mother

Mahmoud sees herself first in the woman’s foremost traditional role as a mother. She admitted that she preferred to be called ‘Em Ahmed’ (mother of Ahmed, her eldest son) above any other title.

former first Lady Suzanne Mubarak, though, would have never accepted being called Em Gamal, (her eldest son). She was, however, grooming him to take over Egypt after her ailing husband displayed deep signs of political boredom.

Even though former first Ladies spent fortunes on their appearance, appealing to many western fashions statements, the new first Lady will have none of it. the only fashion statement she has to make is the hijab and the full dress Islamic dress.

this will be the one representation of post-revolution Egypt.

And that won’t be too difficult for most Egyptian women to follow. Muslims as well as Christians—in fact, most women in Egypt, regardless of religion, already wear some kind of head covering.

Dalia Saber, 36, an engineering lecturer, said of Najla Mahmoud, “She looks like my mother. She looks like my husband’s mother. She probably looks like your mother and everybody else’s.”

Yet, the West has a fixation about traditional Muslim attire and the hijab. that criticism is that the hajib is mostly a colonial style and a symbol of oppression—as if the multibillion-dollar fashion industry weren’t dictating what western women should wear.

racist attitude towards Muslim women wearing traditional dress is often hidden behind the veil of secularism.

“I wear a hijab to be part of a faith not a part of fashion,” explained a young french Muslim woman responding to a question of why she covers her beautiful hair.

Najla Mahmoud, the first hijabi-wearing first Lady of Egypt, may just bring a new attitude toward Muslims women, and a new look toward Muslim fashion.

Ahmed tharwat, is producer and host of the television program, “BelAhdan” (in English: “With open Arms”) based in Minneapolis, Minn. tharwat is a professor of marketing at the University of St. thomas.

Page 8: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

8 auGust 2012 www.aZMusliMVoice.coMADVERTISEMENTS

www.PhoeniciaCafe.com

PhoeNiciA cAFe / BAkeRyANd SAlAm’S mARket

616 S. Forest Ave. Tempe, AZ 85281

480-967-8009

ZAbiHA HAlAl MeATS & GRoCeRieS iN SAlAM’S MARkeT

enjoy Middle eastern and North African Dishes

PhoeNiciA GRill

1150 S. Gilbert Rd.Ste.# 104

Gilbert, AZ 85296

480-503-4976

Pepperoni Pizza

خبز عربي طازج يوميًا • فطاير • حالل بيتزا

mana’eeshmana’eesh

daily FReSh Pita Bread • Pies • halal PePPeRoNi Pizza

12/2

HAlAl Meat

Pepperoni Pizza خبز عربيزعتر لحم عجين وجبنة

Arabic & Assyrian

ChaldeanY e l l o w P a g e s

Arabic & Assyrian

ChaldeanY e l l o w P a g e s

ArizonaCaliforniaNevada

الدليل العربي واآلشوري والكلداني

SMالدليل العربي واآلشوري والكلداني

For More Info call 602-258-7770

www.ArabicDaleel.com

For the first time DiRECTORy includes the three states ofArizona, California and Nevada

Provides services to more than 685,000 readers

NowAvAilAble

Page 9: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

www.aZMusliMVoice.coM auGust 2012 9ADVERTISEMENTS

The Amana Funds limit the securities they purchase to those consistent with Islamic principles which limits opportunities and may increase risk. Current and future holdings, as with all mutual funds, are subject to market risks.

Please request a prospectus which contains information about the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the Amana Funds which you should read and consider carefully. To obtain a free prospectus, ask your financial advisor, visit www.amanafunds.com, or call 1-888/73-AMANA.

The Amana Funds are distributed by Saturna Brokerage Services, member FINRA/SIPC and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saturna Capital Corporation, investment adviser to the Amana Funds.

Amana Mutual Funds Trust888/73-AMANA www.amanafunds.com

America’s oldest, continuously operational, Islamically-acceptable mutual fund.

Visit www.amanafunds.com on your smart phone.

10-0

9

For the firsttime in Arizona

For the firsttime in Arizona

1819 W. Buckeye Rd.Phoenix, AZ 85007

Phone: 602-253-7427

Page 10: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

10 auGust 2012 www.aZMusliMVoice.coMINTERNATIONAL

the Muslim Council (MCB) is calling for urgent action to halt killings, rapes and expulsions

being carried out in western Burma against ethnic rohingya (Muslim) Burmese citizens.

tens of thousands of rohingya have been affected, following a flare up of tensions with the majority Buddhist population, after the rape of a Buddhist woman by an alleged rohingya gang and reprisal killings.

“We strongly condemn these attacks against the rohingya in Burma and call on the British government, as well as other regional partners, to bring the matter to the United Nations’ urgent attention,” said MCB secretary general, farooq Murad.

Shocking attacks

the outburst against the rohingya, often described as one of the world’s most oppressed groups, comes after weeks of ethnic violence in the rakhine state in the west of Burma that has left more than 80 dead and up to 100,000 people living in a situation described as “desperate” by humanitarian organisations.

As state-sanctioned abuses against the Muslim community continue, Burma’s president thein Sein - credited by the international community for ushering in a series of democratic reforms in the country and releasing political prisoners such as Aung San Suu kyi - has urged neighbouring Bangladesh to take in the rohingya.

Human rights group Amnesty International has accused security forces and ethnic rakhine Buddhists of carrying out a series of targeted attacks against the rohingya.

Violence in the last six weeks has been “primarily one-sided, with Muslims generally and rohingya specifically the targets and victims,’’ Benjamin Zawacki, a Bangkok-based researcher for Amnesty, said recently.

In a new shocking development, some Burmese Buddhist monks have also been accused of encouraging the

expulsion of rohingya to neighbouring Bangladesh, with accusations they are ethnic Bangladeshis and not true Burmese.

So far, Burma’s main democracy leader and Nobel peace prize-winner, Aung San Suu kyi, has remained silent on the issue.

Stripped citizenship

the rohingya have lived in Burma for centuries, but in 1982, then-military ruler Ne Win stripped them of their citizenship. thousands fled to

Bangladesh where they live in pitiful camps. foreign media are still denied access to the conflict region, where a state of emergency was declared last month, and ten aid workers were arrested without explanation.

Burma has shown commendable progress in steps to democracy recently. In light of that progress, we urge the Government of Burma to make changes in its citizenship law so that the rohingya can return to their homeland, said farooq Murad.

they should be allowed to build mosques, schools and businesses [currently banned] and the punitive marriage and travel bans placed upon them should be lifted. Previously confiscated places of worship and other lands should be returned and humanitarian agencies allowed access to the affected populations.

Burma cannot be opened for business whilst these grave human rights violations continue.”

Murad called upon the UN, Uk governments and the organization of Islamic Co-operation (oIC) to act now, before the situation becomes more grave. He also said that the governments of Bangladesh, Indonesia and thailand should reconsider their expulsions of rohingya refugees - the situation is particularly bad in Bangladesh, where many rohingya languish in unofficial refugee camps.

act now for Burmese Muslims!

anti-Muslim hostility Moves to india’s assam

SAFARI MARKET

Hours: Open 7 days a week - 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Phone: 602-273-32552450 E. McDowell Rd.• Phoenix, AZ 85008

Here you can find all your Ramadan shopping

Date • Rice • Meat • Spices • bread • Halal Products

Ramadan Mubarak HALALMEATS

GUWAHAtI, India - Hostility against immigrants and Muslims moved to India’s

northeastern state of Assam with deadly violence between indigenous tribes and Muslims, sending thousands of people to flee their homes for protection.

We have decided to control the situation with a firm hand,” S.N. Singh, a spokesperson with the Bodoland autonomous region, told the Press trust of India on tuesday, July 24.

We have issued shoot-at-sight orders and clamped indefinite curfew to contain the growing violence following fresh incidents in various

parts of the state.

Sectarian violence erupted friday after four youths were killed by unidentified men in the isolated kokrajhar district.

In retaliation, armed men from Bodo tribes attacked Muslims for suspicion of being behind the killings.

Clashes spread to the neighboring Chirang and Dhubri districts over the weekend, leaving at least 22 people dead.

thousands of people were also left homeless as their villages were set on fire in the violence.

“Incidents of arson and violence

were reported overnight from several places with the death toll now put at 22,” Hagrama Mohilary, head of the Bodoland territorial Council, a local government body, told Agence france Presse (AfP).

“the situation is tense and volatile and we want more security forces, especially reinforcements of army soldiers.”

Local television channels broadcast pictures of several homes that had been set ablaze by rioters.

“Police, army and paramilitary troopers have intensified patrols and a 24-hour, indefinite curfew has been imposed,” Assam forest Minister rockybul Hussain said from the worst-hit district of kokrajhar.

Surrounded by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan, Assam is home to more than 200 ethnic and tribal groups and has been racked by separatist revolts since India’s independence from Britain in 1947.

In recent years, Hindu and Christian tribes have vented strong sentiments against Muslim immigrants, especially those from Bangladesh.

Escape for Life

thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes to escape the violence.

the security forces were silent spectators when village after village was burnt down, veteran local politician Urkhao Gwra Brahma told reuters.

this morning I thought the situation would become normal, but I was wrong. Violence again started. It is really out of control.

Donald Gilfellon, a senior civil servant in the kokrajhar district, said about 50,000 villagers have fled their homes and taken shelter in relief camps out of fear since then.

thirty-seven camps had been set up to help the refugees and that more would be opened if needed, he added.

Schools and government buildings are getting over-crowded. More and more people are coming, we have given up counting, said another district civil servant, who requested not to be named.

Businesses, offices and schools remained closed, and streets were deserted in kokrajhar town as heavily armed security men patrolled on foot and in mine-proof vehicles.

We can’t think of going back home,�resident Hiranya Musaharay said by phone from kokrajhar town where he was staying with relatives.

our village is vulnerable to attacks and the government failed to give us protection.Muslims account for 160 million of India’s 1.1 billion people, the world’s third-largest Muslim population after those of Indonesia and Pakistan.

Page 11: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

www.aZMusliMVoice.coM auGust 2012 11INTERNATIONAL

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!Realty executives

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

Internship with

Muslim Voice

for informationplease call 602-258-7770

or email us [email protected]

sustainable capital introduces shariah-compliant forestry fund

Become a Reporter, Photographer or Marketerand earn school credit

By farhan Iqbal

Sydney - A Shariah-compliant forestry fund has been launched by Sustainable Capital which is based in Luxembourg in order to lure Islamic investors along with those interested in green investment.

According to an announcement made by Sustainable Capital, it has introduced forestry fund which is shariah-compliant and as an effort to become a part of a trend towards investing in crossover products.

the company said that the fund has been launched with an aim to raise $100 million in the open-ended fund and the offering period is going to start from next Monday. the fund will be invested in the agricultural, biomass and forestry sectors.

Islamic finance is run according to the religious principles but the industry has only recently begun to stress the theme of wider social responsibility.

the fund’s investment advisor, Michael Young, commented, “Sustainability has been a challenging conversation in the Gulf, as it was regarded as a competing asset class. But energy security cannot be built on one source alone.”

“Countries are now embracing diversification,” he added.

forestry has to compete with a preference among many Islamic investors for more familiar real estate and hedge fund products.

In a bid to differentiate itself, Sustainable Capital has highlighted the inflation protection and steady-return qualities of its new fund, which will aim for a 15 percent rate of return net of fees.

Young said, “It would be reasonable for most long-term investors to allocate 5 percent of their portfolios to green investments, though some preferences may go as high as 10 percent.”

He highlighted, “A fund size of $30 million would make the product viable, but reaching its $100 million optimal size could take from three months to three years.”

“the ultimate aim is to raise $250 million,” he added.

According to consultants Ernst & Young, Capital-raising and achieving scale has been a problem for sharia-compliant fund managers, with 64 percent of the estimated 800 Islamic funds globally having less than $75 million in assets.

Sustainable Capital plans to use strategic partnerships to tap Gulf, Asian and European markets, in order to extend the firm’s distribution capabilities and keep operating costs low.

Young informed, “We will seek at least two distributors in the Gulf, one focusing on Saudi Arabia. the firm sees the bulk of its investor base eventually coming from the Gulf and Asia.”

one reason for the lack of close

ties between the Islamic and ethical investor communities is geographical: Islamic investors have strong roots in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, while the ethical investment industry has its strongholds in North America and Europe.

Sustainable Capital will use its asset-backed deals in green investment. Islamic finance also has an ideological emphasis on promoting real economic activity instead of

pure monetary speculation. So firms such as Sustainable Capital see commonalities with ethical investment.

In March, a “green sukuk” working group was launched by the Climate Bonds Initiative, the Clean Energy Business Council of the Middle East and North Africa, and the Gulf Bond & Sukuk Association. Its aim is to promote issuance of sukuk to finance climate change investments and renewable energy projects.

Page 12: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

12 auGust 2012 www.aZMusliMVoice.coMRAMADAN

Cell 602-348-0056Fax 480 773-7320 and 602-971-2155

Email: [email protected].

P.O. Box 71104 • Phoenix, AZ 85050Licensed by the State of Arizona and backed by the National Mortgage Licensing

System in the U.S. License number: LO- 0915840.

KEY DEBT REDUCTIONKAMAL ERAKAT, NEGOTIATOR

"I can, when no one else can !! You need the help, I can help !

• Drowning in Debt?• Facing Foreclosure?• Property value UPSIDE DOWN? Mortgage

payment no longer affordable?KAMAL ERAKAT

the Fasting of ramadan: a time for thought, action, and change!

ramadan: history, Dates, Greeting and rules of the Muslim Fast

have met...” says Hammudah Abdalati, in Islam in Focus.

“What is fasting?” “How does the fasting of Muslims in Ramadan differ from the fasting of other faiths?” “Why should one ‘torture’ one’s body in the first place?” “What do you really gain from fasting in the end?”...These are a few questions that a number of non-Muslim friends and colleagues often ask us, usually out of fascination with this spiritually-uplifting practice of Islamic faith, and at times out of pity and sympathy for us, thinking, why should anyone suffer from hunger and thirst like Muslims? I wouldn’t be surprised if many of us shared the same negative perception of Fasting.

It is important to note that Fasting in Arabic is called, “Sawm”, which literally means ‘to be at rest’. Fasting in the month of Ramadan (the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar) is one of the Five Pillars upon which the “house” of Islam is built. During this month, every able-bodied Muslim, is required to fast, everyday from dawn until dusk

12 Reasons To Fast!

1. Fasting is an institution for the improvement of moral and spiritual character of human being. The purpose of the fast is to help develop self-restraint, self-purification, God-

consciousness, compassion, the spirit of caring and sharing, the love of humanity and the love of God. Fasting is a universal custom and is advocated by all the religions of the world, with more restrictions in some than in others. The Islamic Fast, as opposed to mere starvation or self-denial, is an act of worship and obedience to God, thanksgiving, forgiveness, spiritual training, and self-examination.

2. Ramadan gives us a break and provides us with a rare opportunity to think about our own selves, our future, and our families. It is a time to give our selves a mental break and to temporarily forget about the hundreds of worries and stresses we are constantly bombarded with. In hectic times, such as ours, and in places like the West, this valuable time to think about our lives, on individual basis, is a luxury and is desperately needed! It is a unique month of self-analysis, and of taking stock of one’s moral and spiritual ‘assets and liabilities’.

3. Fasting indoctrinates us in patience, unselfishness, and gratitude. When we fast we feel the pains of deprivation and hunger, and learn how to endure it patiently. The meaning of this powerful experience in a social and humanitarian context is that we are much quicker than anybody else in sympathizing with

the oppressed and needy around the world, and responding to their needs. “It is the month to visit the poor, the sick, and the needy to share their sorrows. It is the month where the food, sustenance and the earnings of a believing Muslim increases and they are blessed,” says the Final Prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him), a man who was known for his noble humanitarian causes, for social justice, and for being the first to respond to other’s needs, despite the fact that he himself lived a very simple and humble life. It is only during such a trying time as Ramadan that we can reflect on the condition of those in this world who may not be as fortunate as us.

4. Fasting in Ramadan enables us to master the art of mature adaptability and Time-Management. We can easily understand this point when we realize that fasting makes people change the entire course of their daily life. When they make the change, they naturally adapt themselves to a new system and schedule, and move along to satisfy the rules. This, in the long run, develops in them a wise sense of adaptability and self-created power to overcome the unpredictable hardships of life! A person who values constructive adaptability, time-management, and courage will appreciate the effects of Fasting in this

respect as well.

5. It cultivates in us the principle of sincere Love, because when we observe Fasting, we do it out of deep love for God. And a person, who loves God, truly is a person who knows what love is and why everyone on this Earth should be loved and treated justly, for the sake of God.

What is the history of Ramadan?

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The term Ramadan literally means scorching in Arabic. It was established as a Holy Month for Muslims after the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in 610 CE on the occasion known as Laylat al-Qadr, frequently translated as “the Night of Power.

Observance of Ramadan is mandated in the Quran, Surah 2, Ayah 185:

“The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.”

What are the dates of Ramadan?

Because the cycle of the lunar calendar does not match the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan shifts by approximately 11 days each year. In 2011, Ramadan began on August 1st. In 2012 Ramadan is likely to begin on July 20th.

The ending of Ramadan is marked by the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr, which takes place either 29 or 30 days after the beginning of the month. On Eid ul-Fitr, morning prayers are followed by feasting and celebration among family and friends. This year Eid ul-Fitr will most probably fall on Sunday, August 19th.

What are the daily fasting requirements?

During the month of Ramadan, most Muslims fast from dawn to sunset with no food or water. Before sunrise many Muslims have the Suhur or predawn meal. At sunset families and friends gather for Iftar which is the meal eaten by Muslims to break the fast. Many Muslims begin the meal by eating dates as the Prophet used to do.

This ritual fast known as, Sawm, is one of the five pillars of Islam, and requires that individuals abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse.

To find the specific times for Ramadan fasting, click over to this helpful tool provided by IslamiCity that allows you to calculate prayer schedules -- including sunup and sundown -- by entering your city or zip code.

What are the expectations towards charity?

Charity is an important part of Ramadan. The fast emphasizes self-sacrifice and using the experience of hunger to grow in empathy with the hungry. During Ramadan, Muslim communities work together to raise money for the poor, donate clothes and food, and hold iftar dinners for the less fortunate.

What scriptural study do Muslims take part in?

Many Muslims use Ramadan to read the entire Quran or read the Quran daily. Many communities divide the Quran into daily reading segments that conclude on Eid ul-Fitr at the end of Ramadan.

Can non-Muslims participate?

Non-Muslims are free to participate in Ramadam. Many non-Muslims fast and even pray with their Muslim friends or family members. Non-Muslims are often invited to attend prayer and iftar dinners.

Those wishing to be polite to someone who is fasting for Ramadan may greet them with Ramadan Mubarak or Ramadan Kareem, which mean Have a Blessed or Generous Ramadan.

Should Muslims with diabetes fast?

Fasting during Ramadan is discouraged for patients with diabetes by the American Diabetes Association.

“In keeping with this, a large epidemiological study conducted in 13 Islamic countries on 12,243 individuals with diabetes who fasted during Ramadan showed a high rate of acute complications.”

However, the study says this was not conclusive. Many diabetic patients fasted with no complications. Patients with diabetes should work with their doctors to figure out a strategy if they choose to fast.

What is the ‘goal’ of Ramadan?

In general, the practices of Ramadan are meant to purify oneself from thoughts and deeds which are counter to Islam. By removing material desires, one is able to focus fully on devotion and service to God. Many Muslims go beyond the physical ritual of fasting and attempt to purge themselves of impure thoughts and motivations such as anger, cursing, and greed.

Do all Muslims take part in Ramadan fasting?

Most Muslims believe Ramadan fasting is mandatory, but there are some groups that

do not. Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers, people who are seriously sick, travelers, or those at health risk should not fast. Children that have not gone through puberty are

also not required to fast during the month Ramadan.

Contiued from p.1

Page 13: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

www.aZMusliMVoice.coM auGust 2012 13COMMuNITY

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

islamic center of Murfreesboro in tennessee opens for worship by Mid-ramadan After an infamous two-year battle to open the Murfessaboro Mosque where Islam itself was effectively put on trial, the only thing left for the Muslim community to do is turn on the lights and water.

tennessee Muslims have only recently won a court battle to occupy their new mosque. However, they learned thursday they would not be able to begin worshipping there for the start of ramadan because it needs about two weeks more of construction work.

While the claims about Islam were eventually thrown out, the opponents still won their case when Judge Chancellor robert Corlew III ruled the county had not provided sufficient public notice of the meeting where the mosque’s construction plans were approved. He ordered the county not to issue an occupancy permit.

Corlew stated the county could simply hold a new meeting, with adequate notice, to correct the error. However, this would have mired the case in courts for another six months to a year

on Wednesday, both the mosque and federal prosecutors sued. In an emergency hearing, U.S. District Judge todd Campbell found the denial to allow occupancy of the mosque violated constitutional right of mosque members to the free exercise of their religion. He ordered the county to proceed with inspections and permitting.

Judge Campbell determined that the state courts had held the mosque to unfair, unreasonable and unprecedented standards of notification that other religious houses of worship were not held to.

this federal intervention forced Judge Corlew to stay his previous rulings that would have prevented the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro from moving into its mosque upon completion.

“the court learned today that a federal district court has determined to accept jurisdiction with regard to those issues herein, and under the doctrine of federal pre-emption, this court then finds that all matters of issue in this court should be stayed indefinitely,” Corlew wrote in a court order thursday.

“this cause then will be subsequently dismissed except to the extent that the federal court remands or otherwise refers issues to us,” Corlew concluded.

following the federal intervention, a codes inspector visited the site on thursday morning, determining that it would take about two more weeks

of work for the mosque to be ready. that includes c o n n e c t i n g the water and power.

S t i l l , members of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro w e r e ce lebrat ing their legal v i c t o r y after being buffeted for two years by a lawsuit in which they had no say.

“I think it was a very good day yesterday, and thank God!” mosque Board Chairman Essam fathy said. “It surprised all of us. It was an unexpected joy!”

Mosque opponents sued rutherford County in September 2010 to stop construction of the new building. their suit included claims that Islam is not a real religion and that local Muslims wanted to overthrow the U.S. Constitution and replace it with Islamic religious law.

Mosque member kimberly Abu-Shanab, who was raised as a Christian but converted to Islam many years ago, said the hostility she has seen recently toward her religion had her “dumbfounded.”

“I really had that idea in the back of my mind like they could start rounding people up,” she said. “ ...

the ruling about the mosque is just wonderful.”

Another member, tahira Ahad, said she was never discouraged by the setbacks.

“I always knew it would turn out well for us because I believe in a higher power,” she said. “God — He chose us to get this job done.”

Eric rassbach, an attorney for the Becket fund for religious Liberty, which now represents the Islamic center, said the case was unusual because normally opponents of a new religious building will express concerns about noise and congestion, even if that is not their real concern.

“the remarkable thing about this case it the fact that people are so open about their anti-Muslim hostility,” he said.

Attorneys for the mosque opponents did not return calls seeking comment.

fathy, who is in charge of the mosque’s construction committee, said everyone in the congregation is asking him how soon they would be in the new building.

He expects it will be well before the end of ramadan, when Muslims celebrate Eid al-fitr in mid-August,

fathy said he was very happy that federal prosecutors stepped in to defend their rights.

“the good thing is that the U.S. Attorney said, ‘We represent the U.S. and our job is to make sure everyone is treated equally, that their constitutional rights are preserved.’ It’s good to know somebody is watching.”

Page 14: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

14 auGust 2012 www.aZMusliMVoice.coMTHE BAzAAR MARkET pLACE

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

For more information call480-275-1538

ArAbic lAnguAge teAcher And islAmic lAw And the QurAn for

All levels

Giving lessons at home

as low as $55/mon.

for (3x2 inch) size ad

advertiseHere

as low as $55/mon.

for (3x2 inch) size ad

advertiseHere

as low as $55/mon.

for (3x2 inch) size ad

advertiseHere

Jason The Plumber623-512-8650•Drains•Faucets•Toilets•WaterHeaters•Sinks

•Leaks•Drips•Repairs•Remodeling•Water&GasPiping

• Know your rights• Everyone deserves legal

protection

Aneesah Nadir, MSW, PhDIndependent Associate

[email protected]

480 233 6547• Talk to an attorney for one flat

monthly fee• No matter how traumatic or trivial • Commercial Energy

• Electricity• Natural Gas• DIRECTV• CLEAR 4G• New Products & Services

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

JOHN AKRAM 480-255-4009

IR#: [email protected]

Visit our websitehttp://johnakram.mymomentis.biz

ESSENTIAL HOME SERVIcES

CLASSIFIED AD$15 /mo.

Pakistani Dish

Aaloo kay kabab recipe by Uzma Aziz.these kababs can be served as appetizers, snacks, as a side dish or even can be placed in bugers.

keywords: aloo, cutlets, kabab, potato, aloo tikki

Ingredients:Potatoes one pound/Half kg. fresh coriender(hera dhania) one bunch. Salt to taste. red chillies 2 tea spoon. Green chillies two to three medium. onion one small. Corriander ground(Pisa houa shookha danya) one tea spoon.

Directions:Boil potatoes. Mash them and add salt, red chillies and coriender ground. Cut onions in very small and thin pieces,but chop them they will bitter the taste of kababs. Also cut or chop green chillies and cut hara dhanya. Add them into the potatoes and mix all ingredients well. then make small kababs and dip them into the egg and fry on low heat till they turn golden brown. Now serve them with cucumber, tomatoes and onion salad with lemon juice added and immli ki chatni.

Sky Level Landscape• iRRiGATiON SySTEM REPAiR• WEEDS REMOViNG AND SPRAyED• LAWN MOWiNG• BLOWiNG• TREE PRUNiNG/TRiMMiNG• SPREAD ROCK• yARD CLEAN-UP AND MORE...

CONTACT US AT:

OFFiCE NR 623-521-8762 • CHRiS 623-340-9217 E-MAiL US ANyTiME AT [email protected]

MINI MARKET

Business Hours: Open 7 days a week - 8a.m. - 10 p.m.

Phone: 602-267-9720 • Fax: 602-267-97275058 E. McDowell Rd. • Phoenix, Arizona 85008

where you can find all your Ramadan groceries

HALALMEATS

Aaloo Kay Kabab

Page 15: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

www.aZMusliMVoice.coM auGust 2012 15

ISLAMIC CENTERS IN ARIZONAISLAMIC CENTERS IN ARIZONAPHOeNIXArizona Cultural Academy 7810 S. 42nd Pl. • Phoenix602-454-1222

Islamic Center of Arizona9032 N. 9th St. • 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 Mosque1818 N. 32nd St. • Phoenix602-306-4959

Masjid Al-Rahmah2645 E. McDowell Rd. • Phoenix602-275-5493

Masjid Muhammad Ibn Abdullah5648 N. 15th ave.Phoenix, AZ 85015602-413-5279

Al Rasoul Mosque5302 N. 35th Ave. • Phoenix602-864-1817

PeORIAGreenway Islamic Center6724 West Greenway • Peoria, AZ www.greenwaymasjid.com

teMPeIslamic Comnty Ctr of tempe131 E. 6th Street • Tempe480-894-6070

Masjid Al Mahdi1016 S. River Dr. • Tempe480-557-9699

Masjid Omar Bin Al-Khattab6225 S.McClintock • Tempe 480-775-6627

MeSAMasjid-el-Noor 55 N. Matlock • Mesa 480-644-0074

SCOttSDAleIslamic Center of N.e. Valley 12125 E. Via Linda • Scottsdale480-612-4044

CHANDleRMasjid AsSalam1071 N. Alma School Rd.• Chandler 480-250-7522

Islamic Center of east Valley425 N. Alma School Dr. • Chandler602-388-9900

lAVeeNIslamic Center of laveen P.O. Box 1107 • 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

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/weekendSultan 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

CALENDAR / ANNOuNCEMENTS

Tucson Prayer TimesAugust 2012 • Ramadan/Shawal 1433 H

Phoenix Prayer TimesAugust 2012 • Ramadan/Shawal1433 H

Page 16: Muslim Voice newspaper August 2012 issue

16 auGust 2012 www.aZMusliMVoice.coMADVERTISEMENTS