April 11 marked four years that Wikileaks founder Julian
Assange has been locked up at Belmarsh Prison in the UK.
Before that, he sought and was granted asylum at the
Bolivian Embassy in London. He literally lived in the
embassy compound for seven years (2012 - 2019), as the UK,
Swedish, and other European governments collaborated with
the U.S. to silence this extraordinary journalist who had
exposed U.S. war crimes, including about U.S. killings of
civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan.
To mark the occasion, a "Free Assange" rally was held at the
U.S. Department of Justice. I arrived very late, as I came
straight from work in Baltimore. But I was very pleased to
stand, if only for a few minutes, with these principled
defenders of press freedom. #FreeAssange
#Protectjournalists
Baltimore
City Wide Iftar [April 12]
Nadrat Siddique.
Beautiful City-wide Iftar at the Majestic tonight.
It was my first time attending this annual event, and I must
say: the food was excellent, the vibe was positive, and
volunteers were wonderful. Small wonder it was a full
house.
[Some names stand out. Br. Abdul Shakur, the organizer,
among the men. Sis, Khadijah among the women.] [Hundreds of
Muslims were there.[
News host Tucker Carlson warns the Biden administration is
promoting a transgenderism movement made up of 'religious
extremists' on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.' #foxnews #fox
#tucker
War News
[We report the war news without taking sides.]
Syria
April 16
Islamic group HTS and its sub group Fath al-Mubeen clashed
with Assad forces in southern Idlib and western Aleppo
provinces.Five members of Qaterji militia were killed in
mine explosions near al-Tayem oil field [Deir ez Zor]
al-Quneitra province, an officer of Assad intelligence
killed 4 injured
In Deir ez Zohr province ISIS carried out 15 attacks this
month on SDF which is supported by US.
April 15An officer of Assad regime and two of his soldiers
kidnaped and killed by ISIS in al-Raqqa countryside.
Assad forces fired heavy artillery on villages in provinces
of Hama, Idlib and Aleppo. Sniper killed one Assad soldier.
Western Hama province: Fath al-Mubeen fighters withdrew
after killing two Assad soldiers.
Iranian troops are distributing food baskets in the Mayadein
area to win over people;
Rulers from the Arab world are now openly supporting Assad
and preparing to visit him.
Ten years back an American who came to visit his relatives
was arrested as soon as he landed at Damascus airport.He was
tortured and witnessed horrific torture of prisoners by the
Assad regime. Years later he was released and has decided to
sue the regime on behalf of the more than 100,000 in Assad's
prisons.
Pakistan
The army seems to be winning the war against the poorly
armed mujahideen. In the latest clash in South Waziristan,
the army says it killed 8 of the fighters for a loss of two
of its own.
[New Trend observers say, the frontier with Occupied Kashmir
and India is silent. The army has forgotten its duty.]
Sudan
Khartoum is enveloped in heavy fighting between the regular
army and the alternative forces.
[Our observers say the West has successfully broken up Sudan.]
Nigeria
htikaf: Monetization or Segregation?
by Kabir Oyemomi
The last ten days of Ramadan in Lagos meet largest
percentage of able-bodied young and old Muslims in
seclusion( ihtikaf) ,in Jumat Mosques searching for the
night of Majesty. Though there are still some brothers
whose position is that ihtikaf is not made except in the
three popular Mosques of Mecca, Medina and Aqsoh.
In the areas where poor Muslims domiciled, you will see many
Jumat Mosques where you can do your ihtikaf for free or
close to free of charge. Many relatively rich people take
the advantage to feed teeming Muslims in the Mosque for
Sahur and Iftar. If they must charge in these Mosques, it is
in the neighborhood of 15 thousand naira and 20 thousand
naira for the ten days. These fees cover for Sahur and Iftar
compulsorily. Example of such location is Ikorodu, Ketu,
Ojota, and many other parts in the mainland of Lagos.
In many Island Mosques like Lekki , Ajah and co, it appears
as Ihtikaf of class!
In these areas where rich people are, coming to observe
ihtikaf there means you're financially buoyant as charges is
within the range of 80 thousand and 100 thousand naira
without Sahur or Iftar meal in majority of these Mosques.
Many people from Mainland who love to observe their ihtikaf
in places like 1004 mosque in Victoria Island, or Lekki
Central Mosque are probably not lucky this year.
While some people are fiercely criticizing the hike in the
registration for ihtikaf in these Mosques, others adduce
reasons on behalf of organizers: crowd control, seriousness,
neatness etc.
Guidance from Sis. Yasmin
As Salaam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah .
8 Basic Mistakes Muslims make when Paying 'Zakaat
Al-Fitr'.
Ibn `Umar (R.A) reported that...
Prophet (Sal Allahu`Alayhi wa Sallam), made Zakat al-Fitr
compulsory on every slave, freeman, male, female, young and
old among the Muslims, one Saa`(a measurement) of dried
dates or one Saa` of barley.[ Source: Sahih Bukhari -
Arabic/English, vol. 2, p. 339, H # 579]
Mistake # 1~
Paying at Eid Salah.
Some people go to Eid Prayers and drop some money into the
donation box thinking that they have paid their Zakat al
-Fitr. No ! Zakat al-Fitr, which is food, must be in the
hands of the needy family BEFORE the Eid Prayer ! If
someone goes to Eid Prayer and pays then it is GUARANTEED
that the money will NOT arrive on time !
Mistake # 2
snail mailing the money overseas [basic
principle as before]
The Zakat al-Fitr, food, MUST be in the hands of the needy
BEFORE Eid prayer. One cannot mail the money overseas and
have it arrive in the hands of the needy after Eid Prayer
is over!
However, if one is able to get the Zakat al-Fitr to the
needy overseas BEFORE Eid prayer is conducted in their
locality, then In Shaa Allah it's alright.
Mistake # 3~
Not Paying. Yes, as simple as this error is,
it is to skip the payment of Zakat Al-Fitr. EVERYONE
must pay Zakat Al-Fitr, for each & every member of the
household. so if you have 8 people in your house, 'Zakat
Al-Fitr' must be paid X 8, even if the youngest member is
just a few days old !
Mistake # 4~
Confusing Zakat ul-Fitr with Zakat ul-Maal.
We are talking about Zakat al-Fitr here (think "Iftar"- i.e.
Ramadan). 'Zakat Al-Maal' ('Maal' literally means wealth),
is the Zakah due on ones money, etc. and that could be due
any time during the year depending on when it was due.
Mistake # 5~
Giving money instead of food . Although some
scholars have allowed giving money instead of food, the
spirit of Zakat Al-Fitr is to give food to the needy of the
community, NOT money. (one can give money to the local
'Masjid' in charge and they can give food with that money
on time as specified .
The Companion of the Prophet [PEACE BE UPON HIM] Abu Sa`eed
al-Khudree, {Radi Allahu `Anhu} said... 'In the Prophet's
time, we used to give it (Zakatal-Fitr) as a Saa`of food,
dried dates, barley, raisins or dried cheese".[Source:
Bukhari - Arabic/English vol. 2, p. 340,~H # 582]
Mistake # 6~
Giving one's Zakah al-Fitr to a charitable
building project. Some people mistakenly give their Zakah
Al-Fitr to a charitable building project: like the building
of a Masjid, or Islamic school. There is a difference of
opinion on this issue, but suffice it to say that the spirit
of Zakah Al-Fitr is that the needy should have plentiful
food on Eid. {'In Shaa Allah'}
All eight types of recipients of Zakah mentioned in the
'Qur`an' are HUMANS, not "building projects".
Mistake # 7~
Giving Zakat ul-Fitr to non-Muslims.
Charity is given to both Non-Muslims and Muslims.
However, Zakah al-Fitr charity is something exclusive to
the MUSLIM poor and needy. Hence, one could not give Zakah
Al-Fitr to any needy person on the street."Regular"
charity can be given to them, but not Zakah Al-Fitr.
Mistake # 8 ~
Delaying distribution.
Sometimes Masjids might collect Zakah Al-Fitr money and
then put it in a bank!It doesn't reach the needy for months
and months !The correct method is to give Zakah Al-Fitr
immediately when it is due.
~ My 'Salaams' to all ~****************************** Y a
s m i n.
"All that is on earth will Perish. But will abide
{Forever}the Face of thy Lord, full of Majesty, Bounty and
Honor"{'Qur`an'- Surah Al-Rahman-55.26-27 }
IAMC condemns Indian Minister's shameful denial of Muslim
persecution, seeks retraction
Washington, DC (April 15, 2023) - The Indian American Muslim
Council (IAMC) strongly condemns and vehemently refutes
India's Finance Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
leader Nirmala Sitharaman's claim that Muslims are not being
subjected to violence and persecution because their
population, "is only growing in numbers."
Speaking at the Peterson Institute for International
Economics (PIIE), a Washington, D.C. based think tank,
Sitharaman claimed that there was a "negative Western
perception" regarding India after PIIE President Adam S.
Posen asked her how foreign investors' perception of the
country is affected by Western reporting on India's
political climate, including on the persecution of Muslims.
In response, Sitharaman outrightly denied Muslim persecution
while backing it with the Hindu far-right conspiracy theory
of, "Muslim population growth."
"[This is] not to even imply that I accept the perception
that you're referring to - India has the second largest
Muslim population in the world, and the population is only
growing in numbers," Sitharaman said.
According to the Census data from 2001-2011, the growth rate
of the Muslim population decreased to 24.6% compared to
29.5% in the decade prior. Data from India's National Family
Health Survey shows that over the past 25 years, the total
fertility rate among Muslims decreased the sharpest out of
all religious groups, including Hindus, from 3.6 in 1998-99
to 2.36 in 2019-21.
Sitharaman's statement echoes the popular Hindu supremacist
propaganda claim that the Muslim population is increasing at
a rate disproportionate to Hindus. The idea that Muslims are
"overpopulating" and "overtaking" Hindus in India is then
used by BJP leaders and Hindu militant groups to whip up
Islamophobia and violence against Muslim minorities.
"Sitharaman's use of 'population growth' myth to justify the
systemic oppression of Indian Muslims is nothing more than a
twisted propaganda tactic widely used by the Hindu far-right
to mask the reality of Muslim persecution and discrimination
in India," said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed.
"Her statement is not just a flagrant denial of human rights
abuses but also a dangerous attempt to spread disinformation
and gaslight the global community about the atrocities
committed against Indian Muslims. Sitharaman's rhetoric must
be debunked and condemned to ensure that human rights
violations do not go unnoticed or unchallenged," Ahmed
added.
This blatantly false notion is not only a testament to the
Sitharaman's deliberate ignorance but also a willful
disregard for the overwhelming evidence presented by
numerous authoritative sources, including United Nations
Special Rapporteurs, the United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the US Department
of State, the US Holocaust Memorial, and the world's most
prominent human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch
and Amnesty International.
Most of these reports have noted that over the last nine
years, the BJP government has openly promoted a divisive and
discriminatory agenda that led to surge in the targeting of
Muslims and other minorities.
The government has passed discriminatory laws like the
Citizenship Amendment Act, which, combined with the National
Register of Citizens (NRC), is designed to render Muslims
stateless and has led to widespread protests and violence
against the Muslim community throughout India. The beef ban
laws, the anti-conversion laws, and the Hijab ban in
Karnataka are only meant to marginalize Muslims further.
Hindu militant groups affiliated with the BJP and its
ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS),
have been given a free hand to commit violence against
Muslims, including pogroms, mob lynchings, and attacks on
their homes, businesses, and places of worship.
In the past three months alone, at least 10 Muslims were
lynched throughout India over the baseless accusations of
transporting/ consuming beef or theft. In February, Bajrang
Dal militants killed and burned the bodies of two Muslims
over suspicion of transporting cattle in BJP-ruled Haryana
State.
Furthermore, the government's complicity in the horrific
anti-Muslim pogroms in Delhi in 2020, which resulted in the
death of over 50 people, mostly Muslims; the rampant
bulldozing of Muslim homes, businesses, and mosques; the
ongoing human rights violations in Kashmir and extreme surge
in hate speeches calling for Muslim genocide are
well-documented.
Two weeks back, the Supreme Court judges called the state
"impotent" for failing to curb anti-Muslim hate speeches
nationwide.
Just a week before Sitharaman spoke at the PIIE, Hindu
extremist mobs during the Hindu festival of Ram Navami
stormed Muslim localities in at least 6 Indian states, where
they pelted stones, brutalized Muslim residents, torched
vehicles, desecrated mosques, looted homes and
businesses.
These actions demonstrate a clear pattern of persecution and
violence against Muslims in India, and Sitharaman's comments
only serve to minimize and trivialize the gravity of the
situation.
In 2022, Genocide Watch, an NGO that monitors countries for
signs of impending genocide, placed India at Stage 8
(persecution) of genocide on Dr. Gregory Stanton's 10 Stages
of Genocide. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
said India was among the top ten likeliest places for new
mass killings in the world. USCIRF, a bipartisan,
independent commission in the US, has designated India as a
Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for three consecutive
years over its egregious violations of human rights and
religious freedoms of minorities.
IAMC calls on the Indian government to immediately retract
Sitharaman's insensitive and inaccurate comments and take
concrete steps to stop Hindu extremist violence against its
Muslim citizens. We also call on the international community
to hold the Indian government accountable for its actions
and to take steps to ensure the protection of the rights of
all religious minorities in India.Indian American Muslim
Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian
Muslims in the United States with chapters across the
nation.
Editorial
by Kaukab Siddique, Ph.D
NPR radio vs Pakistan.
A couple of days back NPR radio thru WHYY attacked Pakistan
and its value system.
NPR highlighted a Transgender drama supposedly undermining
Pakistan as a bigoted, brutal nation rooted in patriarchal
blindness.
Out of Pakistan's 240 million people, NPR could only find a
few transgender though they are in no danger in Pakistan. In
fact they have more protection than most people.
NPR's attitude in this report was very anti-Islam. Somebody
with a Muslim name declared thankfully on NPR's Transgemder
program that the transgender drama is so wonderful, like a
breath of fresh air! otherwise all we have in Pakistan are
mosques and Allahu Akbar!
Pakistanis are very sensitive to such trivializing
comments.
Take this example: The Swedish embassy in Islamabad is
closing down because of a sense of insecurity emerging from
public indignation against Swedes after a Qur'an burning
incident in Sweden which was protected by Swedish police.
If NPR is really looking towards understanding
Malala is behind this "Joyland" drama. She gives opponents
of Pakistan the impression that she stands for women's
education and others in Pakistan don't.
My mother was the greatest female educator of Pakistan as is
my sister-in-law. Hundreds of women in northern Pakistan are
busy with the education of women.
NPR, why not protest the shameful imprisonment of Dr. Aafia
Siddiqui who has been in a Ft. Worth, Texas, prison for the
last 20 years.
Alvin Bragg
What did Famous Preacher Shaikh Faisal do to get 18 Years?
by Kaukab Siddique, PhD
DA Alvin Bragg, notorious for his moves against President
Trump, announced through the New York Post on March 23 that
Shaikh Abdullah Faisal has been sentenced to 18 years in
prison.
The statements denouncing Shaikh Faisal are vague and
generalized and got me into trying to find out what exactly
did he do which would merit 18 years in prison.Here is what
I have found till now:
Shaikh Faisal did not hurt anyone in America.
He did not live in America.
He is Jamaican but in Jamaica too he did not hurt
anyone.
Looks like tiny Jamaica was bullied by the American giant to
extradite the Shaikh to America.
He has been railing and ranting to Muslims to defend the
Islamic State
.Did the Islamic State attack America? There is no instance
which would show that the Islamic State attacked
America.
In fact it is America which has been going, thousands of
miles from home, into Syria and Iraq to bomb the Islamic
State from a safe distance in the sky.
The Islamic state does not have the means to defend itself
against bombing by USA.
The details published in America indicate that a female
American detective was given the task of trapping the
Shaikh.
She pretended that she was Muslim and wanted to help
injured people by giving first aid.
The Shaikh did not or would not come to America. So she
decided to go to the Middle East, protected by two
detective, hoping that the Shaikh would follow her.
She pretended that he should help her to marry a
"jihadi."The Shaikh did not follow her and the trap
failed.
Finally USA bullied Jamaica into extraditing him to USA and
gave him 18 years!
So, all he has done is making speeches urging Muslims to
defend the Islamic State.
The Muslim Ummah did nothing, with the exception of several
thousand individuals.
America, with the help of NATO and Iran, destroyed the
cities of Mosul in Iraq and al-Raqqa in Syria killing tens
of thousands of civilians and making millions homeless.
Islamic State fighters not only survived but are still
active in Syria and parts of Iraq. [See SOHR and Iraqi
news.]
April 14
Person to Person
The crowd was huge again, mostly Arab and Bangladeshi.
2nd Ramadan juma' visit to Newark, Delaware
A Jamaat al-Muslimeen document, 6-pages taken from New
Trend, was given to 78 Muslims.
The items in the six pages were
as follows:
US Muslims' united rallies against Israeli attacks on
al-Aqsa.
Death squads in Bangladesh have murdered several thousand
unarmed opponents of PM Hasina
Analysis of Bangladesh PM Hasina's rurhless & brutal efforts
to stay in power. (Dr Firoz)
