The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recommended the
following prayer for those who seek God's help in making a
choice or decision:
"O God, I ask You to enable me to choose what is best
through Your knowledge, and bring it to pass through Your
power.
O God, if You know that this matter is best for me in my
religion, (my) livelihood and my final end, then bring it
about and make it easy for me. And if You know that the
matter is bad for me. . .Then keep it away from me, and keep
me away from it."
Fiqh-us-Sunnah,
Volume 2, Number 32"
Da'wa
All supporters of Jamaat al-Muslimeen and serious preachers
of Islam should heed this advice from Br. Shamim Siddiqi
The future of Islam lies ONLY in observing the following
three things in a continuous process as commanded by Allah
(SWT) in Verses NO !02 to 104 of Surah Al-Imran.
Every Muslim and Muslimah must always be obedient to
Allah (SWT) and live a life that is ordained by Him. He/she
has to know the rights of Allah on him/her and then live by
that till he/she breathes his/her last. [Verse # 102). BE
HIS ABD - bondsman and woman.
Allah created this universe and what it contains for man
to use and explore for man's benefits as its trustee and not
Master as we see all around the world, FEELING always that
he/she is Accountable to HIM for every action and deed after
death.That will keep him/her in an upright position always
on earth.To this effect he/she must hold the Rope of Allah -
the Qur'an and be its model in every walk of life. [Verse &
103]
All or a Group of them have to struggle hard for the
Iqamah of His Deen by eradicating the evils [Munkar] and
establishing the good, the Maa'roof in its place throughout
the society where they live. [Verse & 103]
These are the lines of guidance for you as well for Mohtram
Br. Mike for presentation at Aligarh University and others
for Dawah Work in the Euro-American society as well.
With best wishes
www.dawahinamericas.com
Israeli Activity
Netanyahu's Spying Denials Contradicted by Secret NSA
Documents
Mar 25, 2015 - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
yesterday vehemently denied a Wall Street Journal report,
leaked by the Obama White House, that Israel spied on U.S.
negotiations with Iran and then fed the intelligence to
Congressional Republicans...Israel's claim is not only
incredible on its face. It is also squarely contradicted by
top secret NSA documents, which state that Israel targets
the U.S. government for invasive electronic surveillance,
and does so more aggressively and threateningly than almost
any other country in the world. Indeed, so concerted and
aggressive are Israeli efforts against the U.S. that some
key U.S. Government documents -- including the top secret
2013 intelligence budget -- list Israel among the U.S.'s
most threatening cyber-adversaries and as a "hostile"
foreign intelligence service.
Commentary
Entrapment of Muslims.
Comment on Sis. Karin's report by Outstanding New York
Activist Sis. Aisha, [Alumna of Lincoln University.]
As-salaamu'alaikum Bro. Siddique,
I saw Sis. Karin's picture. I think it's nice. I still have
misgivings about the Internet, however. I have been thinking
about that, continuously.
I think her articles are very well detailed. I am so furious
over these entrapment charges used against Muslims in these
courts!
I do not know how many cases against kaffir men charged with
the solicitation of prostitution are thrown out by a
judge.
Why?
Because the defense attorneys argues that the policewoman
dressed up like a prostitute approached his client and
initiated the whole ruse. She approached him, not the other
way around! Usually, those arguments will get a solicitation
charge tossed. Happens all of the time.
But, these Muslims have three strikes against them: They
are Muslims fighting an unjust system .
They have weak, court-appointed attorneys Biased judges. The
laws used against Muslims would not be used against a
non-Muslim in the same court.
Support from small part of ummah. When these judges behave
unfairly, the attorneys, who do fight back, are punished in
some way. Lynne Stewart and Ahmed Abdel-Sattar
[
AhmedAbdelSattar.org
]
, as well as
Alton Maddox, come to mind as prime examples of a government
backlash victims. So, I cannot always say that an eager or
even expensive, high profile lawyer will always work,
either. But, the best attorneys are never intimidated by the
government.
But, just as Sis. Karin, you and so many others have warned:
Don't talk to strangers! There are strategies for protecting
ourselves against the lures the kuffar use to ensnare us in
their traps.
"Wudu in a Glass"
video competition 2015
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Conserving Water, One Mudd and One Saa' at a Time
Allah
سبحانه و تعالى
Said:
إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ
"...Verily He (Allah) likes not Al-Musrifoon (those who
waste by extravagance)" [Al A'raaf, 31]
كان النبيُّ صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ يتوضأ بالمدِّ ويغتسل بالصاعِ
The Prophet
صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ
performed wudu' with
one mudd* and made ghusl with one saa'** [Saheeh Muslim,
325]
* A mudd is a measurement of approx. 700 ml
** A saa' is a measurement of approx. 2.5 l
Conserving water is both, an individual and collective
responsibility and as Muslims we are always encouraged to
utilise water wisely and never to waste or be extravagant
with it. It is unanimously agreed that extravagance in using
water is makrooh and blameworthy. Thus when it comes to
conserving water, small adjustments can make a huge impact.
And one of the many ways Muslims can contribute towards
reducing water scarcity, is by being observant when
performing their ritual ablution and bathing.
It is recorded that the Prophet
صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ
once came over to Sa'd while he was performing wudu and
said,'what is this excessiveness O Sa'd?' He asked, 'can
wudu be excessive?' He
صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ
replied,
'yes even if (you are making wudu) in a neighbouring river'"
[Musnad Ahmad, 6768 and Ibn Majah, 419 - graded as hasan by
al-Albani in 'Silsilat as-Saheehah, 3292). This shows us
that the availability of abundance of water does not detract
from our responsibility to use water sparingly and never be
excessive in it. Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said, "we should
realise that using a lot of water for wudu' or ghusl is
included in the words of Allah {and waste not by
extravagance. Verily He (Allah) likes not Al-Musrifoon}.
Hence the fuqaha' said it is makrooh to waste by
extravagance even if one is on the bank of a flowing river,
so how about if water is drawn by mechanical means?"
Thus using a mudd for wudu and a saa' for ghusl was a
prevelant act of the Prophet
صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ
although there is also evidence that he
صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ
performed wudu' with one third of a mudd. And it is
to be noted that if one's areas of ablution are not properly
washed with a mudd, and there is a need for more water, then
it is acceptable as long as there is no extravagance, as in
this case it would be considered a necessity.
So let's observe "World Water Day" every day. And what
better way than to commence with a water-related competition
"wudu in a glass".
WUDU IN A GLASS COMPETITION -
can you perform ablution using 350ml of water?
Eaalim blog presents it's first 'Creative Competition 2015.
If you have access to a video camera and not afraid to
demonstarte how to perform wudu with a glass of water, then
please read on... It is an original initiative with the main
purpose of:
Reviving a Sunnah & Conserving Water
Learning About Water Usage in Wudu
Increasing Awareness of Water Scarcity and Our
Responsibilities
Conditions of participation:
Gender
Due to the nature of the competition, it is open to male
participation only.
Measurement of water glass
The glass of water must be 350 ml precisely (shown by
evidence using a measuring device). Entries deemed
suspicious will be disqualified.
Length and format of video clip
The video should not be more than 4 mins in length and must
not exceed 5mb in size. We will also accept link to video in
case the file size is too large. Format in avi, flv, mpeg,
rm, quicktime and swf
[Please ensure good video quality]
Age eligibility: You must be between the age of 15-45
Deadline for submission: All video entries must be submitted
by 31st March 2015
Simply attach video (or link to video), with your details
to: competition@eaalim.com
Selection process: eaalim staff will choose the winning
entry based on fulfilment of the competition criteria, and
also on the quality of video production.
Prize reward
$50 and a selection of new title books from Dar As-Sunnah
Publications.
Jamaat al-Muslimeen Activity at Baltimore's Biggest African
American Masjid.
On March 27, after Juma 134 Muslims received Jamaat
al-Muslimeen documents. More than 80% of the Muslims here
are African Americans who have converted to Islam. Here one
can see the scale rejection of American materialism which
Malcolm X criticized. The 20% immigrant audience also get a
good chance to see genuine dedication and non-compromising
attitudes.
Outside, African American families sell hot curry and rice,
potatoes and salads and many other foods cooked American
style. The lamb curry is superb. Al Halal. Others sell
prayer caps and prayer rugs.
The first 50 Muslims to come out were given this 8 page
document:
&
&
Thoughts on Murder of 3 Muslims in Chapel Hill,
NC, by Asqfish.
&
&
Lynne Stewart celebration in New York & thoughts on
Ahmed Abdel Sattat [Blind Shaikh's translator] by Nadrat
Siddique.
Imam Badi Ali's thoughts on Community service.
Pakistani medressas challenge anti-Islamic steps by
Pakistani regime.
The second batch of 84 Muslims was given a 6 page document
as follows:
&
&
Br. Kaukab SiddiqueL Research on Hadith writing in
the Prophert's, pbuh, life time.
Historic defense of Tikrit [Iraq] by IS mujahideen
against huge Iraqi, Shi'ite Iranian strike force.
Pope speaks against Muslims. Ignores attacks on mosques
in Syria and Palestine + Jamaat al-Muslimeen protests at
AIPAC.
Imam Badi Ali's advice about damage being done to Muslims
by media.
Khutbah
Khutbah by Imam Ali Siddiqui
Masjid Jamaat al-Muslimeen, Baltimore, MD
March 27,2015
Everyone is Worthy of Islam; Respect for all Human
Beings.
We should look at human beings as human beings and not as
angels, Jinn, or Shaitan.
They all have received the gift of Intellect and Free Will
from Allah -To make decision: Good or evil, right or
wrong.
They also have the ability to turn around their lives. We
shall not and cannot write them off.
In other words all human beings are potential Muslims and
all Muslims are potentially good Muslims.
We shall give them the benefit of doubt and don't write
any one off.
Remember, the message of Islam is for everyone; however,
Allah will guide whoever Allah pleases.
Message of Hope
Islam is the message of hope for a better life in Dunya
and a promise of place in Jannah-tul-
Firdous.
فَآتَاهُمُ اللَّـهُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا وَحُسْنَ ثَوَابِ
الْآخِرَةِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
- "So, Allah gave them the reward of this Dunya, and an
Excellent Reward in the Hereafter. Allah loves those who do
good! Q 3:148"
Promise of Pure Spouses
أَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ
and a Good
Life in the Best Place in the Universe
وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ۖ كُلَّمَا رُزِقُوا مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقًا ۙ قَالُوا هَـٰذَا الَّذِي رُزِقْنَا مِن<br>قَبْلُ ۖ وَأُتُوا بِهِ مُتَشَابِهًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا أَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
'And give news to those who believe and do righteous deeds
that they will have their reward in Jannah: where rivers
flow. Whenever they are fed with fruits therefrom, they will
say: "Wow! This is what we were fed with before (on
earth)." For they were given things familiar. And they will
have pure spouses, and they will live therein forever. Q
2:25'
Take the Message to them
As we walk or drive on the street on the way to masjid,
all the people we see and meet, deserve our attention and
require from us to approach them with the message of Allah
and Muhammad Rasool Allah, the last of the prophets
(saw).
Prophet (saw) said: "Let one who is present (in this
congregation) spread the knowledge to the one who is not
present." Hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas (ra), in the book of
Bukhari.
Rights of Neighbor
وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ
- "(Do good to your) the neighbors near to you, the neighbor
farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler ... Q
4:36"
Who are our neighbors: around our masjid, our homes,
around our businesses, and even when we are travelling. They
have rights over us.
What is the best thing we could do for our Neighbors? Give
them the Good News of a place in Paradise.
The Commandment of Allah: Liberation
وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا<br>وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا ﴿٧٥
- "What is wrong with you? That you do not struggle for the
liberation of the oppressed men, women, and children (for)
the Cause of Allah, who are crying out to Allah: 'Free us
from this tyrant town, and raise for us someone as a
protector and someone as a helper from Yourself.'" Q
4:75
Our neighbors are calling out for liberation.
Liberation shall come with Islam. In the words of Malcolm
X: "Islam liberated our minds!"
The Subject of Quran: Human Beings
One of my teachers and the Commentator of Quran, Abul 'Ala
Maududi explained in his Tafseer: Taf-hee-mul Quran: "The
subject of Quran is Human Beings."
Indeed Quran throughout provides guidance to shape and
mold human beings, gives them directions, builds their
faith, develops Sabr, gives them hope, enlightens them by
taking them out of the depth of darkness into the Light of
Islam.
Indeed Quran is a unique book. None likes it.
Alhamdulillah. It is the Book of Liberation.
Let our neighbors see its beauty!
Applied Islam
In the inner cities across this land people live in a very
dire condition.
- As I drove in, and as you do it often, this community
around our masjid is no exception.
As Muslims, we are duty bound to uplift these of our
brothers and sisters in humanity.
We cannot do much as an outsider!
We shall develop a strategy: A Strategy of Engagement.
Insha-Allah, I will talk about it in the future
Khutbahs
Role of Masjid
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّـهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ
Most important institution in the liberation of humanity
is Masjid.
That is why it is the Commandment of Allah to build and
maintain places for worship, "The Masjids of Allah (SWT)
shall be visited and maintained ['amara] by those who
believe in Allah (SWT) and the Last day, and establish
Salah, pay Zakat, and fear none (at all) except Allah. It
is
they who are expected to be on true guidance." Quran
9:18
First order of business by Rasool Allah (saw) at migration
to Madinah is to establish a masjid.
French colonial rules of Al-Jazair were so afraid of
masjid that they demonize masjid by calling it "mosque" - a
den of mosquitoes.
Masjid shall be Filled with Activities
يَعْمُر
- the root verb is a'ma-ra as applied to masjids
implies the following ideas:
To build or repair
To maintain in a fitting dignity
To visit for the purpose of worship
Fill with light, life, activity, and , make it come
alive (in Urdu: masjid abad ker-na)
Thus, masjid shall not only be built, but it shall be
maintained to maintain its dignity, and it shall be alive
and vibrant with light, life, and activities.
In other words believers shall be attracted to it and
populate it, and willing to participate in the activities so
that they may be guided by Allah and the favors of Allah
shower upon the community.
It is also the place which attracts other members of
humanity to benefit from it and they may be guided and
liberated.
Masjid shall be an open place for all believing men,
women, and youth sharing the same space without walls and
curtains. Hijab is prescribed and sufficient for modesty and
engagement in the masjid activities.
Glorify Allah's Name
In Sura-tu Noor, 24th chapter of Quran, Allah reminded us:
"In houses (Masjids), which Allah has ordered to be raised
(to be cleaned, and to be honored), where Allah's name is
glorified in the mornings, and in the afternoons, or the
evenings" Q 24:36
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّـهُ أَن تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ
يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ ﴿٣٦﴾
Glorifying Allah by worshiping Allah and taking care of
Allah's creation, human and non- human, seen and unseen.
When a fellow human being, a not-yet-Muslim person, enters
a masjid; it shall uplift him/her and feels welcome by it
and the congregation.
Masjid shall also reflect the diversity of the Muslim
community. Q 49:13
Imam Ali Siddiqui
Imam, Khatib,Quran Teacher, Chaplain, Interfaith Leader,
Faith-based Counselor, Public Speaker, and Director, Muslim
Institute for Interfaith Studies & Understanding, Lorton, VA
22079
Spotlights & Guidance
Saudi Assault on Yemen is Backed by the West & Its Camp
Followers like General Sissi of Egypt. Failure of all
Rulers.
by Imam Badi Ali
Nothing happens in the Middle East without the permission
of the West. The Saudi attack on Yemen is non exception.
All the Gulf countries and their allies are nothing but
puppets for the West. Along with them are Jordan, Egypt and
Pakistan.
It was projected as a well known fact that the new king
of Saudi Arabia, Salman, is said to be unhappy with the
West. But notice that Salman too will not do anything which
thw West does not desire.
The Iranians succeeded in talks, dialogue and
negotiations with the West over a decade relate to their
right to nuclear power. The failed to negotiate with the
Arabs.
The Arab regimes succeeded in dealing with the Israelis
secretly and publically but failed to deal with Iran.
The rulers created an enemy from among themselves, but
they do not consider Israel an enemy.
The West no longer needs to intervene or occupy. We are
killing each other in the worst possible form.
Whoever is a true Muslim and cares for Palestine will not
participate in this fitna.
We can liberate Palestine. We have the armies. We have
the wealth. The regimes however are not sallowed to do
anything like that.
Division is nothing but disaster for us. The leaders
have no program and simply want to keep the Ummah disunited.
and work in the interest of the West.
Shia Sunni propaganda is a game. When Iran supported the
Arabs, it was not an issue. When the issue of Iraq came up,
we did not bring up Shia Sunni. Now we are indulging in
it.
Pakistan says it wants to protect the holy sites. Isn't
Al-Aqsa a holy site. Why didn't Pakistan do anything.
Saudis say they want to restore the "representative"
government of Hadi . Is General Sissi, a major supporter of
the Saudis, a representative ruler.
- Imam Badi Ali is a Palestinian American who leads a large
congregation in Greensboro, North Carolina
Pakistan
Islamic Leader Says Defense of Holy Cities is Duty of Entire
Muslim World.
US is starting Iran-Saudi War. Beware, Cautuous and Just.
Sirajul Haq Addressed Large Gathering in Lahore.
[by Qaisar
Sahrif, JI Info]
LAHORE, Mar. 27; Ameer, Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan, Senator
Sirajul Haq, has expressed deep concern over the growing
confrontation in the Gulf and said the US and the Zionist
powers were once again trying to make the Muslim world a
battle field.
Addressing a large Friday congregation at Mansoora mosque,
he said that the protection of the holy land and the
Haramain Sharifain was the duty of not Saudi Arabia alone
but of the entire Muslim world, and the Muslims all over the
world were ready to lay down their lives for the security
their spiritual centre. However, he said that there was need
for great care and caution besides serious talks.
He said that like the Iran-Iraq war, the US now wanted to
trigger a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran because such a
conflict between Muslim states would help the enemy powers
to sell their arms and ammunition besides taking over the
Muslim world's resources. He said that Pakistan should try
to cool down the situation in order to foil the enemy
designs.
Senator Sirajul Haq said that the Muslim world should try to
resolve its issues through dialogue and should not provide
an opportunity to the forces of Kufr to achieve its agenda
through war between different Muslim states. He said the US
and Israel had embarked upon a plan to trigger war between
Arab states to sell their weapons and weaken the Muslim
world. The situation demanded that the leadership of the
Muslim world sat down and resolved their issues through
talks and mutual understanding.
On the national issues, the JI chief said that all the
problems of the country and the nation could be solved with
the enforcement of the Shariah. He said that the Quaid e
AZAM HAD ON MORE THAN ONE HUDNRED OCCASIONS, STATED THAT THE
HOLY QURAN WOULD BE THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN AND THE
KHILAFAT WOULD BE THE MODEL FOR THE ISLAMIC STATE. AS SUCH,
THOSE TALKING OF SECULARISM WERE VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION.
HE SAID THAT PAKISTAN IS AN ISLAMIC DEMOCRATIC STATE AND A
DISTINCTION BETWEEN
RELIGION AND NON- RELIGION OR RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR WAS A
WRONG INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION.
SENATOR SIRAJUL HAQ SAID THAT DURING THE LAST 68 YEARS,
PAKISTAN HAD BEEN RULED BY THOSE WHO HAD SECURED JAGIRS FROM
THE BRITISH FOR BETRAYING THE NATION AND FOR ACCEPTING
BRITISH SLAVERY.
HE SAID THAT THE JI WAS STRIVING FOR THE SUPREMACY OF THE
CONSTITUTION AND THE LAW. IT WANTED TO BRING ABOUT AN
ISLAMIC REVOLUTION THROUGH PEACEFUL, DEMCORATIC STRUGGLE AND
DID NOT BELIEVE IN UNDERGROUND ACTIVITIES.
SIRAJUL HAQ SAID THE PRIMARY ISSUE IN THE COUNTRY WAS NOT OF
NATIONALISM, ETHNICITY, PUNJABI OR SINDHI. THE REAL ISSUE
WAS OF THE OPPRESSOR AND THE OPPRESSED. THE TYRANT VADERAS
WANTED TO CONTINUE THE PREVAILING OPPRESIVE SYSTEM AT ALL
COSTS WHILE THE OPPRESSED WERE TRYING TO GET RID OF THE
PRESENT SYSTEM. HE SAID THE JI WAS TRYING TO UNITE THE
OPPRESSED AND THE DEPRIVED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEM THEIR
RIGHT TO LIVE.
War News
Syria
[Source: Various wire services]
Idlib City Captured: Entire province under Islamic Rule:
Busra al-Shams captured in Deraa: IS advancing in Tel Tamer
countryside. Another massacre by Assad's Jets on Civilians
in IS areas.
March 26, 27, 28, 29: After four days of fierce fighting
Islamic groups led by al-Nusra [al-Qaida affiliate] drove
out Assad's elite troops and Hizbullah of Lebanon from the
Idlib city, the capital of Idlib province with a population
of 165,000.
Assad's air force is launching air strikes, terrorizing the
population, but the city is firmly in Islamic control.
Assad's death squads killed 15 Muslim prisoners before the
city fell.
However, Ahrar al-Sham Islamic group was able to release 53
prisoners from Assad's torture chambers in Idlib.
At least 135 of Assad's best troops and Hizbullah supporters
were killed in some of the fiercest fighting in Syria.
Fighting in the Qalamoun killed 5 Hizbullah. Fighting in
Damascus suburbs and suburbs of Aleppo continued as Islamic
forces tried to advance but were bombed by Assad's air
force.
March 25: Al-Nasra and other Islamic groups captured the
town of Busra al-Sham in southern Deraa province. The
Alawites fighting for Assad fled after they killed 21 of the
Islamic fighters.
In the north east, against the Communist Kurds, YPG, in the
Tel Tamer area, Islamic State forces are steadily advancing
in the countryside.
US jets bombed IS forces at Kobani which YPG said had been
captured. US also bombed al-Raqqa.
On March 25, Assad jets bombed Islamic State territories in
al-Hasakeh province killing 55 civilians including 30 women,
15 children and 10 men. [Syrian Observatory]
Nigeria
[Source Associated Press]
Military Claims of Victory Against Boko Haram Turned out to
be False. BH Advancing on Bauchi.
March 29: Nigerian military tried to stop a column of Boko
Haram fighters in trucks heading to the important northern
city of Bauchi. Clashes occurred 6 miles from the city but
BH entered the city, Curfew has been declared in Bauchi and
sounds of firing can be heard in the city.
On March 28, Boko Haram attacked the towns of Bin and Dukko
in Gombe State, killing 14 persons.
On March 27, BH attacked the town of Miringa in Borno State.
25 people were killed in the fighting.
On March 26 BH attacked the town of Bhurtai also in Borno
state and here they killed 23 people defending the
village.
The Nigerian military has not been able to substantiate the
claims that it has retaken all the territories Boko Haram
had captured, It was all propaganda meant to support the
messy elections going on in Nigeria. BH forces are raiding
freely and are certainly not on the retreat.
Iraq
[Source : Reuters]
Islamic State fighters firmly in control of Tikrit after 4
Days of Heavy Bombing by USA
March 29: After 4 days of heavy daily bombing strikes by the
US on the small Islamic force defending Tikrit, it was again
another fiasco for the Shi'ite troops using the American air
force as cover.
When the US-supported Iraqi forces tried to enter Tikrit
after the Americans pulverized the Islamic positions, the
mujahideen came out and drove the Shi'ites back.
The attackers have admitted 17 killed and 100 wounded in the
attempted advance.
The Shi'ites tried to use a bulldozer to enter Tikrit from
the south but it was destroyed by the mujahideen with one of
the few surface to surface missiles they still have.
The worst damage was to the reputation of the Iranian
general Suleimani who had thought Tikrit would be quickly
overrun by the huge military force available to him.
Suleimani has returned in disgrace to Iran.
On March 27, Islamic State [IS] fighters attacked Dujail, 33
miles from Baghdad killing 6 Iraqi troops and wounding 14.
Another 18 Iraqi troops were killed in Baghdad itself in a
mujahideen raid.
In the north, the Kurdish Peshmarga advance too has stalled
despite air cover by the US.
March 29: Several thousand people rallied in Tunis against
"terrorism." They were led by French President Hollande who
supports freedom of speech for Zionists who caricature the
prophet, pbuh.
They were outraged by the militant attack on a museum in the
Parliament enclosure in which 22 foreigners and 2 Tunisian
security guards and 2 of the attackers were killed.
Earlier on March 28, Tunisian troops attacked an Islamic
group in the mountain region on the border and killed 9
Muslims, including an Algerian accused of plotting the
attack on the museum. [The dedication of the group to Islam
can be seen in the name they have chosen: Uqba bin Nafe
brigade. He was the greatest Islamic hero in the golden era
of early Islam.]
The secularist regime has arrested FOUR HUNDRED people on
suspicion of support for the militants.
Background:
The metropolitan population of the capital Tunis is highly
secularized. Every now and then they come out to support
secularism against Islam. They certainly do not represent
the Tunisians living in the smaller towns and villages. In
fact Jihad has great support in Tunisia and more than 3000
Tunisians have gone to Syria to support the Islamic State
[IS[ in Syria-Iraq. That's the largest number of volunteers
of any country supporting IS.
The elections held in Tunisia were fake. More than 1500
people were arrested before the elections. The Muslim
Brotherhood group, led by Ghannouchi, was allowed to
participate because it is pro-West and not Islamic
politically. Its Islam is not Islamic in the Qur'anic
sense.
REVENGE for DECADES of REPRESSION.
During the Bourghuiba regime, the secularist tyrant attacked
hijab and came on national media to DRINK during Ramadan to
assure the Muslim population that it was helpless.
Ben Ali ruled Tunisia for 30 years and crushed Islamic
protests with great savagery. When the people rose up out of
sheer misery and deprivation, he fled to Saudi Arabia.
So the secularists have not been punished for decades of
terrorism against the Muslim masses.
There is a huge Islamic upsurge but most Muslims are
defenseless.
Tourism in Tunisia is without the permission of the people.
It benefits the rulers and the attack on the museum seems to
be aimed at depriving the regime of a major source of income
and to remove big source of western influence.
There has never been a lack of hirelings in Tunisia. Many of
them supported the French occupation of Tunisia which
carried out unmentionable atrocities. These yes men are
known in Tunisia as the "beni oui oui."
Pakistan
[by NT's Pak observer]
Pak Taliban Surprise General Raheel's Forces: + Colonel
Killed + Attorney of Doctor who was Looking for Osama
Killed.
Jet Fighters and Heavy Artillery Used. Maulvi Fazlullah is
alive & well.
On March 23, Pakistan's military got a surprise. mujahideen
of Pak Taliban entered the Khyber area and captured the
Sungar military post. Then they destroyed it and withdrew in
good order.
Pakistani military countered with its utmost power with jet
bombers and heavy artillery.
Pakistan admitted 6 killed, including a major, and 30
injured which signals a heavy toll because the military
usually tries to give the impression that Pak Taliban cannot
fight it.
The military spread the rumor that Pak Taliban leader, the
charismatic Maulvi Fazlullsh, has been killed, and later had
to admit it is not true.
On March 24, the Pakistani military continued with heavy
artillery and jet bomber attacks in the Tirah valley and
claimed to have killed scores of Pak Taliban. The mujahideen
have rejected the claim that they had any losses. The dead
are presumably civilians. Jets and artillery cannot spot
well hidden fighters and instead terrorize Muslim
villagers.
On March 29, a full colonel of the Pakistani army was gunned
down in the posh Hayatabad area of Peshawar.
Earlier on March 18, the attorney for Dr. Afridi was shot
dead by unknown gunmen. The Muslim masses sense something
fishy in the assassination of the greatest Islamic leader of
modern times, Osama bin Laden. To slake Muslim anger, Dr.
Afridi who helped the Americans to look for Shaykh Osama was
arrested under a fake case [probably to save him from public
wrath].
The military has won some brownie points by raiding the
headquarters of the fascist group MQM in Karachi but MQM has
not been uprooted and might be used in other ways once it
has been defanged
Our America
New York City
Outrage Over Lenient Rape Sentence: Ex-NFL Player
by Sis. Aisha [Jamaat al-Muslimeen New York
Sports radio WFAN's Mike Francesa and myself are the few
people who are outraged over this 9 year sentence given to
ex-NFL player Darren Sharper, who admitted to drugging and
raping women in over four states! He is a former player for
the New Orleans Saints and won a Superbowl with his former
team. While playing professionally, he would meet his
victims Online or at a bar, drug and rape them. He admits to
committing these crimes in Nevada, California, Arizona, and
Louisiana.
Had he gone to trial, Sharper was staring at various
sentences, including 20 years to life. But, because he came
forward, probably at an attorney's urging, he received a
lighter sentence as a reward. This was a federal sentence
since the crimes occurred across state lines, I surmise.
Prosecutors from all four states worked together to mete out
this weak punishment. Sharper will serve his sentence
straight through because federal sentences do not offer
parole. But with a 9 year sentence, he would not need it!
Some of the prosecutors claimed to have weak evidence
against Sharper, even in spite of the fact that he admitted
to these crimes!
America rewards its abusers. This country was founded on
oppression and its justice system seems to side with those
of that mindset. Charles Darwin's "survival of the fittest"
is a rather popular quote by this society's bullies!
On the Howard Stern Show, singer Madonna, recently,
recounted a rape that occurred, when she was a naive 19 year
old, on a New York City rooftop. She chose not go into any
detail. These acts are so violent and so repugnant that
victims find it most difficult to verbalize the ugliness of
it at all! Rapists and other sexual deviants count on this
and the system helps them with plea deals. A plea deal
usually carries a lighter sentence as a reward for owning up
to your crime.
The prosecutors will argue that they gave the rapist a plea
deal to save the victims any kind of embarrassment or
humiliation during a trial. No! They offered the rapist a
plea deal because it allows the prosecutor to win without
having to suffer through a long trial. It's a shortcut. As a
matter of fact, these plea deals are made without ever
consulting the victim or their families. However, in this
case, two of the victims were approached about this plea
deal by one of the prosecutors before it was made.
Darren Sharper had retired from the NFL in 2011 and was
working as an NFL Analyst when women started coming forward
with allegations of blacking out and waking up to find that
they had been assaulted. WFAN's Mike Francesa pointed out
that Sharper is only 39 years old and when he gets out of
prison (insha'allah) he will still be a young man capable of
committing these types of horrific crimes.
The question is will he learn new ways to adapt so as to not
get caught. It has been proven that sex offenders are beyond
rehabilitation. The penalty in Islam is death for raping.
Will America ever learn? can this country really consider
itself civilized?
Boston
Another Innocent Muslim Pleads Guilty: Matanov's Case
by Sis. Karin Friedemann
On Tuesday, March 24, 2015, a terribly sad and terrified
looking 24 year old Khairullozhon Matanov entered a "guilty"
plea to accusations that he had lied to the FBI about the
extent of his friendship with Tamerlan and Jahar Tsarnaev.
He had also deleted his search history from his computer,
knowing that the FBI would soon be visiting. Because his
lies and deletions were irrelevant to the Boston bombing
investigation - he had lied about things like whether or not
he ran into the brothers at a local halal restaurant, or if
he drove them there, and everything he deleted was public
information - he had long maintained his innocence of any
criminal action. He had lied out of nervousness, not out of
a desire to impede the bombing investigation; in fact he was
the first person to go to the police to identify the
brothers when their photos came on TV.
"I know who they are, but I don't think they did it," he
told the police.
The tragedy of this case is that hundreds of people knew who
those brothers were, but they did not say anything. And none
of them are being prosecuted. This should tell us that it is
always a bad idea to cooperate with any FBI request, even if
you sincerely want to be helpful.
At the first hearing I attended for the young Matanov last
year, the government had made many insinuations about his
many generous wire transfers overseas to his family,
"wondering" if he was funding terrorists. But since then all
these transfers have apparently been accounted for, so the
government was left with nothing but the obstruction of
justice charges, which the judge himself noted were
immaterial. The slimy government prosecutor made up for this
by threatening "terrorism enhancements," which could bring
his maximum sentence from 20 years to 37!
Judge Young took a lot of time speaking directly to Matanov,
making sure he understood the charges, that he understood
that he is considered innocent until proven guilty, that he
has a right to a trial, that he understood what he was
agreeing to and what he was giving up by pleading guilty. It
sounded like the judge was trying to talk him out of it.
Matanov hesitated many times, consulting with his lawyer,
before he went through with it, while wiping tears from his
eyes.
He told the judge he felt he was innocent but he didn't want
to go to trial and risk spending decades in prison, so he
was accepting the deal. He really didn't want to plead
guilty. He had written me in many letters how much pressure
he was under. The government wanted him to work as an
informant and told him they would let him go free today if
he would agree. He refused. Then they said they would reduce
his sentence to 7 years if he pled guilty. He refused. He
wrote to me that his father was an honorable man and his
grandfather was an honorable man and he would never plead
guilty. However, during a prison visit he sadly told me that
there are "very powerful people" putting a lot of pressure
on his lawyer and he felt he had no other choice. It is
still up in the air whether or not he will be deported after
serving his 30 months prison time and 3 years probation.
Matanov is quite nervous about where they are going to send
him. He had been beaten by guards playing the National
Anthem, while being held at Plymouth County Correctional
Facility. Activism from supporters resulted in him getting
transferred to the much quieter pre-trial Donald Wyatt
Detention Center in Rhode Island. He is no longer being
beaten, but is being kept permanently in "the hole." He is
being treated differently than all the other prisoners. No
one else gets put in "the hole" unless they cause trouble.
He is being kept in isolation and even during the one hour
of rec time per day, he is separated from the other
prisoners by a fence. He said most of them are Latino. They
are all allowed to talk to their families through glass, but
he is forced to talk on a video monitor, which is very low
quality and the sound crackles so bad you can't hear. What
is strange is that Stephen Silva, the Tsarnaev friend who
was caught dealing heroin and admitted that he gave them a
gun, is being kept in general population at the same prison,
but Matanov, who is only guilty of paying for dinner, is
being treated like a terrorist, maybe because he is Muslim.
Matanov said the prison says they are isolating him for his
own protection.
After he is sentenced, he will be moved to another prison.
He was visibly nervous about this unknown, when I visited
him earlier this month.
The judge has until the next hearing, June 18, to decide if
he will accept the plea deal or reject it. If he rejects it,
the case will go to trial and Matanov will again be presumed
innocent, Judge Young said. Young told Matanov that if found
guilty, he could sentence him to even less than 30 months.
However, he could also choose to accept the government's
terrorism enhanced sentencing guidelines. What a totally
confusing and horrible choice to have to make.
Lucasville, Ohio
30 Supermax Prisoners on Hunger Strike
by Lucasville Amnesty
On Monday March 16th, over 30 supermax prisoners at Ohio
State Penitientiary went on hunger strike. Warden Jay
Forshey and OSP staff are refusing to meet their demands or
negotiate with them. Some of the hunger strikers have not
even been met and consulted with regarding their demands.
Eleven prisoners remain on hunger strike and are committed
to staying through to the end, if necessary.
SUPPORT ACTION:
Please call ODRC Legal Services department and request
that they speak with the hunger striking prisoners and
address the illegal policy changes at OSP.
Call ODRC Legal Services- 614-752-1765 ask for Trevor Clark,
Austin Stout or their boss, Stephen Gray.
Write letters: Legal Services, 770 West Broad Street,
Columbus, Ohio 43222 Email: Trevor.Clark@odrc.state.oh.us
Austin.Stout@odrc.state.oh.us and
Stephen.Gray@odrc.state.oh.us
Please call Warden Jay Forshey at OSP and demand that he
change these policies and meet with all the hunger striking
prisoners to address their other issues. Ohio State
Penitentiary- 330-743-0700 ext 2006. Write letters: Warden Forshay, OSP, 878 Coitsville-Hubbard
Rd, Youngstown, OH 44505 Email: Jay.Forshey@odrc.state.oh.us &
Laura.Gardner@odrc.state.oh.us
You can also contact the politicians on the Correctional
Institution Inspection Committee and ask them to look into
the issue. http://www.ciic.state.oh.us/complaint-form
See below for direct contact information...
More details on the issues:
Two recent policy changes at OSP are the main issues, though
prisoners have many other specific greivances. The biggest
issue, effecting the most prisoners is the withdrawal of
congregate recreation. All but the cadre and long timer
prisoners at OSP are no longer allowed to go out on the
range together for their one hour a day recreation out of
their cells. This policy change reduces human contact
between prisoners, isolating and dehumanizing them further,
and denying them opportunities to demonstrate that they are
not security threats, a key component of the security
step-down process they need to go through to get out of
solitary confinement. It also creates a logistical problem,
if only one prisoner at a time is allowed to rec, there is
not enough time in a week for each of the over 450 prisoners
to get their legally required five hours of rec time per
week. This policy change violates court decisions that are
supposed to bind OSP to a minimum standard of humane
treatment.
The second change, OSP has decided to deny programming to
prisoners at level 5B. This directly effects a few dozen
prisoners, who are at the highest security level in the Ohio
system. Depriving these prisoners of access to programming
demonstrates the ODRC's commitment to cruelty and
punishment, rather than rehabilitation and counseling for
their captives. Like the recreation restriction, it slows
the process by which 5B prisoners can step down to lower
security levels, aquiring more privileges. It is also
illegal. Some of the denied programming includes religious
programming. Any prisoner placed on level 5B will be there
for at least a year. It is a violation of the first
amendment right to freedom of religion to deny anyone the
ability to practice their religion for over a year, and a
violation of the fourteenth amendment equal protection under
the law to exclude these prisoners from opportunities
afforded to other prisoners without just cause.
There are many other issues at OSP, everything from unsafe
and slippery conditions in the showers that have caused
multiple injuries, to restricted access to hardcover books
in violation of US Supreme Court decision Turner v Safely.
The Warden at OSP is not taking the prisoners' demands
seriously and appears to not have consulted ODRC legal
services before instituting these illegal and
unconstitutional policy changes. That is why we're
requesting supporters to call Trevor Clark and Austin Stout
in the ODRC legal services department.
Contact infor for Correctional Institution Inspection
Committee Members:
Sandra Williams (D) Senate District 21 (614) 466-4857
Cliff Hite, Vice Chair (R) Senate District 1 (614)
466-8150
Edna Brown (D) Senate District 11 (614) 466-5204
John Eklund (R) Senate District 18 (614) 644-7718
Mailing address:
Senate Building
1 Capitol Square, 2nd Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Paul Zeltwanger (R) House District 54 (614) 644-6027
Nicholas J. Celebrezze (D) House District 15 (614)
466-3485
Bob D. Hackett (R) House District 74 (614) 466-1470
Michelle Lepore-Hagan (D) House District 58 (614)
466-9435
Mailing Address:
Vern Riffe Center
77 South High Street 13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Atlanta
How The "War on Terror" Ripped an Atlanta Family Apart
by Sharmin Sadequee
[The story begins with mother-son talk and then gradually
you see the tragedy and the hurt. This brave son of
Bangladesh wrote against US occupation of Iraq and
Afghanistan. He was kidnaped by the US from Bangladesh,
brought here and sentenced to 17 years in prison --Editor
NT]
I once watched my mother pray for nine hours straight. She
did so when we drove five hundred miles to visit my brother,
traveling from my home in Michigan to a federal prison in
Marion, Illinois. My mother was sitting next to me in the
front passenger seat. Holding a Quran in her lap, back
arched forward, she was melodic. The breeze outside vibrated
the gentle sound of her recitation, warming the inside of
our car.
Unfortunately, I kept asking when she was going to finish
praying so I could listen to some music. My mother—a little
agitated—responded in Bangla, "We're going to see Shifa
after a long time. You need to pray that we can see him.
It's a long drive...we need to make sure that we face no
problems in our journey and that the prison gives us no
trouble."
Gesturing, she said, "I don't know how he is doing. What he
eats there. I'm not there for him anymore. I can't call
him...bring him food...I can't hug him. I am praying that he
is all right."
When we arrived at the prison and entered the visitation
room, Shifa was waiting for us. A guard closed the iron door
behind us, locking my mother, my sister and me inside. In
the small, dimly lit room, there were no windows, no
bathrooms, no vending machines. However, two cameras always
watched us, studying our bodies and movements.
Shifa welcomed us from behind a plexiglass barrier--no
contact visits are allowed—with the biggest smile stretched
across his face and the longest Muslim greeting in Arabic.
He wore a khaki uniform, a white skullcap, and glasses. His
hair fell down to his ears, and a full beard covered his
face. He brightened up the morose room with his poised grin
and graceful warmth. My mother was filled with joy to see
her son. She was very anxious to talk to him, to hear his
voice. She took her seat between my sister and me and picked
up the white phone sitting amid three wall phones.
"Abbu, have you had breakfast this morning? What did you
have?"
"Alhamdolillah. I had breakfast," Shifa replied through his
phone on the other side of the glass.
"Did you sleep well last night?"
Smiling, Shifa answered, "Alhamdolillah."
"Do you need anything? Has your sister been sending you
money regularly?"
"Alhamdolillah, Ammi, I am in the care of Allah Subhana wa
ta'la. Nothing to worry!"
My mother continued to press him. "But how much money do you
have right now?"
"Alhamdolillah, I have enough."
"Do they give you fruits and vegetable regularly?"
"Alhamdolillah."
"How is the temperature in your room? Is it normal?
"Alhamdolillah."
"Alhamdolillah" means "Praise is to God."
My mother asked if we could get him something from the
vending machine in the other room, but he said he didn't
want anything. She offered to buy him some chips, cookies or
soda, but he declined again. Then she looked at me and my
sister and, raising her voice a little, said, "Why don't you
get him something? Why are you sitting here?"
"He doesn't want anything," I replied.
My mother countered, "He doesn't want anything because you
haven't brought him anything."
I don't know whether being able to feed her son would have
quenched the emptiness my mother felt from having lost him
to prison; I don't know whether a mother seeing her son eat
before her eyes fulfills her need to be there for her
child.
But whenever she visits him, whenever he calls her, and
whenever she writes to him, my mother always wants to know
these things from Shifa. Every time. Mundane questions to
many of us, but so meaningful to a mother.
One day, when I asked her why she always asked him these
same questions, she said, "I'm not there for him anymore. I
want to know if he is well."
When Shifa was growing up, he was always glued to the
television, watching "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," and
eating nothing but pizza. Pizza for breakfast, lunch and
dinner. If there was no pizza at home, my mother had to
instantly make it for him. He would watch her make it and
sometimes help her prepare the dough or spread the tomato
sauce or the cheese. He loved extra cheese on his pizza. My
mother and Shifa made pizza together and ate it
together.
It was difficult for my mother to get my brother accustomed
to desi food. If he ate desi food, it had to be lentils and
rice; she had to make the lentil soup very runny for him;
otherwise, he wouldn't eat it. Now the prison walls barred
my mother from being with her son, from feeding him, from
preparing food with him. The walls denied her
motherhood.
In 2006, news of my brother's kidnapping from Bangladesh,
twelve days after his wedding, shocked and numbed my mother
to the point that she started fasting until she got
sick.
She and I were staying in New York City because our
government held my brother in Brooklyn for three months
before moving him to Atlanta. My mother wanted to see Shifa
regularly in those three months.
We were staying with my cousin until he asked us to move
out; he became concerned with the length of our stay because
he was afraid to keep us in his home, so he made up a story
that the FBI had visited him. My mother's heart broke that
day, because it meant she could not see her son anymore. She
clutched her wrists with pain, held back her tears. Her face
turned blank with helplessness, but she forced herself to
smile back at my cousin. She did not want to leave; she was
living so close to her son in Brooklyn.
Yet who would let us stay when all were afraid of coming
under FBI surveillance because of her, because of us,
because of Shifa? Who would risk his own and his family's
safety for her? We had no choice but to leave. We eventually
found another place to stay. I tried to feed my mother, but
she could not eat anything in those days. The thought that
she could not be there for her son engulfed her mind and
body with pain. How could she enjoy food when her son could
not have the same food or even an adequate meal? It was like
she was punishing herself by withholding food from her own
body in her inability to help him.
Her health declined; she was aggrieved with physical
illnesses and depression. The barbed wire and the prison
walls took over her health. She has since spent a lot of
money each year to visit my brother in order to maintain
emotional, social, and familial relationships, but she is
still forced to endure the painful process of separation.
She is still not allowed to touch or kiss her beloved
son.
When Shifa's trial began in Atlanta in the summer of 2009,
my mother did not understand what was going on, for she
doesn't understand English very well. She carried rosary
beads and the Quran each day to the courtroom to pray for
him. I had to explain to her what the prosecutors were
saying: about the PATRIOT Act, about how my brother, her
son, was charged with an ambiguous crime called "providing
material support to terrorism." I explained to her what the
U.S. prosecutor, in the opening statement of the trial, said
about what "crimes" Shifa had supposedly committed (or not
committed):
"You will hear no evidence in this trial that the defendant
had a gun, that he was building a bomb, that he had joined a
particular terrorist organization, because that's not what
the charge is. It would be a very different landscape in
United States District Court if that's what the allegation
was, but it's not...I want to repeat: defendant is not
charged with committing any terrorist act, no bomb throwing,
no shooting, no dead bodies...It's not a case about the
defendant making bombs or that's not the charge..." (1)
I also told her that her son's only "crime" was sitting in
front of a computer translating and publishing Arabic,
Islamic, and political literature for a publication on a
website, sharing a lot of "LOLs" with his online
acquaintances, working on a website, and posting photos and
videos of his tourist trips for those same buddies.
I explained to her how the government prosecutors could not
point to one sentence in his trial that demonstrated that
Shifa was even thinking of doing anything criminal. There
was not one sentence about such activity, I told her.
She asked, "Not one sentence?"
"No," I replied. "Not one sentence."
I could see how her heart dropped.
She wanted to cry that day, but she pushed it all in,
hardening her heart at the injustice done to her, to her
little son. Another day, my mother was there with my
brother's lawyers when they told us that the government
prosecutors did not believe my brother was capable of
violence or of harming anyone at all--and so my mother could
not understand why her son was punished with over 1,300 days
in solitary confinement before his trial even began. And she
didn't understand why the evidence of her son's kidnapping
from Bangladesh and illegal rendition to the U.S. by the FBI
was not explained to the jury.
The federal judge prohibited Shifa, who represented himself
at trial, from introducing this evidence.
Now my mother has learned that a 2009 report by the
Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
revealed that there is a good chance that government
prosecutors withheld exculpatory evidence--which could prove
a defendant's innocence--from all post-9/11 "terrorism"
cases involving Muslims. This could prove the innocence of
her son, and young men like her son, but our country is not
looking into this issue.
To pay for my brother's lawyers, my mother put her home up
for sale, as well as her gold; she and my father cashed in
the insurance policy they were saving for my brother's
education; she traveled across the country and stood before
mosque after mosque to raise funds for Shifa's legal
defense.
Nothing helped. No defense lawyer could help her. No one
could help return her heart and soul, her son. No one could
release the love of her life snatched from her womb. No one
could free him. No one.
My brother, Ehsanul Shifa Sadequee, who spoke out against
the U.S. violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, translated
literature, and worked on a publication website, was
sentenced to seventeen years in a Communication Management
Unit. My mother wonders how her precious son can be so far
away from her, separated from her by barbed wire fences and
iron walls for joining no terrorist organization, for
plotting and committing no terrorist acts. He is her little
son put behind bars--for what reason?
And in 2009, my mother and I watched on television
as--within twenty-four hours of my brother's conviction--the
governor of Georgia appointed the U.S. prosecutor who
supervised Shifa's case to the Georgia Supreme Court.
