Scroll down for report on "NYC Congestion Pricing Harms the
Working Class" by Sr. Aisha ;
"Hardships Befall a Believer Until They Meet Allah?" by Sr. Yasmin
The Islamic Imperative to Boycott the Zionist Aggressors
By Dr. Kaukab Siddique
We are now more than one year into a genocide which has
claimed the lives of more than 50,000 of our Palestinian
brethren. Every day the Israelis bomb schools, mosques,
waterways, homes, electrical towers, roadways, and other
infrastructure and get away with it.
We need a global boycott of all Israeli products, including
those which are not clearly marked as Israeli. People in
Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Pakistan, and other
countries geographically close to the conflict especially
need to step up to the plate. As anyone who closely studies
Qur'an and hadith knows, there is a clear Islamic imperative
to stand with the oppressed and against the oppressor. For
those who are not directly involved in the fighting, boycott
is one of the most effective ways of countering the Zionist
juggernaut.
For an updated list of boycott targets from the worldwide
Palestinian-led BDS movement, as well as to read more about
the strategy of this important movement:
And, as the Qur'an says, "Why should you not fight in
Allah's cause and for those oppressed men women and children
who cry out Lord rescue us from this town whose people are
oppressors. By Your Grace give us a protector and give us a
helper. (The Quran, 4:74)
World News
Palestine
Zionists Departing from Israel En Masse
News reports indicate that 500,000 Zionists have departed
"Israel" since October 7, and declared that they will not
return. That is a 285% increase in the pre-October 7
emigration rate. (Times of Israel, July 18, 2024). In
addition, migration to Israel by Jews is down by
approximately 70%. One in three businesses in "Israel"
proper have closed down, or are operating at grossly reduced
capacity. And the majority of Israelis say they are
uncertain about the future of Israel. (The Cradle, December
7, 2023) All of this shows that the immense sacrifices of
the Palestinian resistance have not been for naught.
Palestine will be free one day soon, inshallah.
Pakistan
The Pakistani government, a secular government, is
complaining that the Afghan Taliban are supporting the TTP
and other groups who are attacking the Pakistan Army. The
result is that after a few fights across the border, the
Pakistan government decided to shoot back. Unfortunately,
they fired so indiscriminately that they killed forty-six
Afghans. The Taliban government said the deaths included
women and children. Editorial comment: Pakistan should
concentrate on liberating Kashmir, which remains occupied by
India's large army, instead of fighting other Muslims.
Malalai Yousafzai to Visit Pakistan
The Pakistan government is flexing its secular muscle by
inviting Malala Yousafzai to Pakistan. She will be the
keynote speaker at the "International Conference on Girls'
Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and
Opportunities" being held January 11 -12. This will be her
third visit to Pakistan since her 2012 departure from the
country. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will give
introductory remarks at the event.
Islamic education for girls is available all over Pakistan,
and is not the dominion of Malala Yousafzai. Dr. Aafia
Siddiqui, with her Ph.D. thesis in childhood development and
learning, was seeking to present new teaching methods to the
antiquated Pakistani educational system when she was
abducted from Karachi in 2003 by the Pakistani ISI
(Pakistani intelligence service). If Malala is really
interested in women's rights, why is she silent on the
torture and unlawful detention of Pakistan's leading
education advocate—Dr. Aafia?
India
There are disturbances in India. Fighting between Indian
troops and Maoist rebels, known as Naxalites, is ongoing in
the districts of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, and elsewhere. The
Indian government has labeled the Naxalite Movement as a
terrorist organization. There are heavy losses on both
sides.
Additionally, fighting continues in the northeast of India
between Christians and Hindus. The conflict there became so
severe that the Indian government sent 6,000 troops to stop
it.
India is also complaining about the Bangladeshi people's
opposition to Hari Krishna. The group was strong in the
Chittagong area. Bangladeshis protested, saying the Hari
Krishnas should leave the area.
The Heavy Hand of Hindu India Upon Indian Muslims
India has tried to impose Hinduism upon its Muslim
population. That population, numbering 200 million, has not
launched any major challenge against the Indian government.
This is despite a draconian citizenship law, called the
Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), passed by the Hindu
extremist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The
CAA precludes Muslims entering India from other countries a
path to citizenship.
According to an Associated Press report, in India "Scores of
Muslims have been lynched by Hindu mobs over allegations of
eating beef or smuggling cos, an animal considered holy to
Hindus. Muslim businesses have been boycotted, their
localities have been bulldozed, and places of worship set on
fire. Some open calls have been made for their genocide."
(AP, March 15, 2024). A glaring example of the destruction
and/or desecration of Muslim holy places was the 1992
demolition of Babri Masjid, the oldest mosque in India, and
the recent erection of a temple to the Hindu god Ram at the
same site.
And still, the Muslims of India, suffer in silence.
Syria
Video: Massive Prayer at Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque in Syria
In accordance with Islamic tradition, masajid are once again
becoming the focal point of Islamic expression, political
organization, and community organizing in post-Assad Syria.
A video captured a massive prayer gathering at the Khalid
ibn al-Walid Mosque in Homs, Syria. The mosque is named
after a great Islamic hero.
The Houthi ports of Hodeidah and Ras Isa, and the Hezyaz
power plant near the Yemeni capital Sanaa were hit by over
twenty Israeli aircraft. The aircraft involved in the strike
included fighter jets, refuelers, and spy planes. The
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a video
statement addressing the Houthi leader Abd al-Malik
al-Houthi, "We will pursue and hunt you down and destroy the
terror infrastructures you have established." (Times of
Israel, January 10, 2025)
Editorial comment: The conflict between the Houthis and
Israel is a classic case of David versus Goliath. Most in
the Muslim world recognizes who is the real terrorist.
Breaking news - The Houthis attacked the USS Harry S.
Truman, an American aircraft carrier, in the Red Sea. They
also attacked the warships accompanying it. The Houthis used
anti-ship cruise missiles and drones. The attack lasted for
nine hours, and forced the aircraft carrier to turn
north.
United States
New York City
"All Out for Palestine" March Held on New Year's Day
On New Year's Eve, thousands of pro-Palestine activists
marched through New York City. The rally was organized by
the Palestine Youth Movement, the Palestinian Feminist
Collective, and other groups. The key demands of the protest
were: a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, arms embargo of Israel,
and an end to the US-backed genocide on Gaza. The march
proceeded from midtown Manhattan to Times Square. Chants
such as: "New Year's resolution: Intifada, revolution," and
"Up, up with liberation! Down, down with occupation!"
abounded during the march. As it was an afternoon march,
protestors stopped at Washington Square and performed asr
salaat.
In Times Square, protesters heard from youth activist Lamia
Abdallah of Palestine Youth Movement. She spoke to the crowd
about Israel's attack on Gaza's hospitals, from Al-Shifa to
Kamal Adwan. In the Kamal Adwan Hospital attack, she said,
hospital patients, staff, and families were terrorized by
the Israeli Army, and the hospital director, Dr. Hussam Abu
Suffiyeh, was arrested, kidnapped, and tortured. He
continues to be held despite the protests of numerous human
rights groups. She further spoke of Palestinians literally
freezing to death in Gaza's winter.
Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss of Neturai Karta also addressed
the crowd. The greatest anti-semitism was Zionism, since it
was killing Palestinians, said Rabbi Weiss. Zionism violated
every single value of Judaism, he continued. He led the
crowd in chants of "Judaism yes, Zionism no! The state of
Israel must go!"
Wild fires around Los Angeles are spreading at an alarming
rate. Thousands of homes have burned to the ground. Efforts
to stop the fires have been unsuccessful. Damages from the
fires are set to cost a record $135 billion.
Fire is a symbol in Islam for Hellfire. It makes one think
that what the US has been funding in Palestine, Lebanon, and
now Syria, is rebounding against them through fires which
don't seem to have any cause.
New York City Congestion Pricing Harms the Working Class
By Sis. 'Aisha Jamaat al-Muslimeen New York City
Under the guise of improving air quality, New York City just
implemented a program that will economically harm
working-class New Yorkers—again!
The Congestion Pricing program seeks to charge drivers a day
$9 toll (lowered from $15) when they drive south of 60th
Street in Manhattan. The supposed benefits of this new
program, which the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)
first introduced under Mayor Bloomberg's (aka Bloombucks)
Administration, are:
A reduction in traffic
Safer streets and cleaner air
Remove emissions
Improve quality of life
The congestion pricing program was officially enacted on
January 5, 2025. Environmental advocates are singing its
praises. But the Fire Department (FDNY) and the NJ Governor
are still challenging congestion pricing in court. The FDNY
fears that congestion pricing will actually hinder their
efforts to reach destinations in need of their help. NJ
Governor Phil Murphy believes that his state will be swamped
with New Yorkers trying to avoid the congestion pricing
tolls.
Once a measure goes into effect, it is very difficult to get
it repealed. The MTA has a $20 billion budget but provides
subpar service. The MTA has never been audited, so any
mismanagement criticism is a mere accusation and unfounded.
They continue to find ways to generate money, including
raising fares. Still, they cannot explain how they use the
money, especially when their maintenance of the subways and
buses could be better.
Inner-city activists have complained about the high asthma
rates among Inner-City children for decades. The main reason
for the large amounts of carbon monoxide in the air is
idling buses at the significant number of bus depots in
areas such as Harlem. The surplus of taxi cabs, not resident
commuters, is why there is a surplus of cars in Manhattan.
Even with gentrification, Uptown is predominantly non-White,
working-class residents. The shopping centers are below 60th
Street! Most people who live above 60th Street travel
downtown to shop.
If the MTA really believed that congestion pricing would
reduce traffic, which would be a loss of income, they would
not have implemented such a measure. They have been fighting
to make this measure a reality for years. Meanwhile, the
real culprits, bus depots, and taxi cabs, operate unchecked.
So much for making Manhattan environmentally friendly.
Pro-congestion pricing politicians are proud of their
predatory efforts and believe congestion pricing tolls will
spread to other cities. California and New York always set
precedence for the rest of America. Remember gay marriage?
Beware.
Guidance From Sis. Yasmin
Hardships Befall a Believer Until They Meet Allah? (A Woman of 'Jannah')
29:2
29:2
Transliteration:
Ahasiba annasu anyutrakoo an yaqooloo amanna wahum layuftanoon.
Translation:
Do the people think that they will be left to say,
"We Believe" and they will not be tried ?
{Source: 'Quran'~ Surat Al-`Ankabūt (The Spider) # 29
~A # 2}
Abu Hurairah (R.A.) reported that
PROPHET (Sallallahu `Alaihi Wa Sallam) said ---
"Hardships continue to befall
a believing man and woman in their
Body,
Family,
and Property,
until they meet ALLAH burdened with no sins." {!}
(Source...'Tirmidhi' )
Reason for the Reward--- !
Atta Bin Rabah (R) reported that ibn 'Abbas (RA) asked
him:...
"Do you want to see a woman from the
people of 'Jannah' [ Paradise ] ? "
he said--- "Yes."
he answered...
"It is this black woman.
she came to the
PROPHET~ (Sallallahu `Alaihi Wa Sallam)
saying---
"I have epileptic seizures,
and I get exposed, so supplicate to Allah for me."
PROPHET~(Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
"If you wish, be patient and you will attain 'Jannah'--- or
if you wish,
I will ask Allah to cure you."
so she replied--- "I will be Patient...
but my body gets exposed [ because of the fall ]
so supplicate to Allah for me that
I should not become exposed."
and PROPHET~
(Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) did."