Janan Delgado: Learning to See; Park51 and my Second Day at Work

http://park51.org/2011/01/learning-to-see/

Haroon Moghul: Secular Good, Muslim Bad: Unveiling Tunisia’s Revolution

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/guest_bloggers/4052/secular_good,_muslim_bad:_unveiling_tunisia’s_revolution/

via Moumita

"In Peril: The Arab Status Quo"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/weekinreview/16shadid.html

Tariq Ramadan: On Tunisia, Algeria and Niger…

http://www.tariqramadan.com/On-Tunisia-Algeria-and-Niger.html

Juan Cole: Tunisia between Democracy and Anarchy

http://www.juancole.com/2011/01/tunisia-between-democracy-and-anarchy.html

Haroon Moghul: Why Christopher Hitchens Writes About Things He Doesn't Understand: Tunisia, Islam, and Sources

http://avari.typepad.com/avari/2011/01/why-christopher-hitchens-writes-about-things-he-doesnt-understand-tunisia-islam-and-sources.html

Juan Cole: Tunisia: Government of National Unity or Tanks in the Street?

http://www.juancole.com/2011/01/tunisia-government-of-national-unity-or-tanks-in-the-street.html

Harper's: Burke on Sharia Law

http://harpers.org/archive/2011/01/hbc-90007845

"The Islamification of Britain: record numbers embrace Muslim faith"

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-islamification-of-britain-record-numbers-embrace-muslim-faith-2175178.html

via Dustin

Tunisia

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/2011/01/14/tunisia-end-era

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0114/Tunisian-protesters-notch-historic-victory-but-face-uncertain-future

http://muslimmatters.org/2011/01/15/a-historic-day-for-tunisia-president-ben-ali-ousted/

MLK: "The preaching ministry"

It has been my conviction ever since reading Rauschenbusch that any religion that professes concern for the souls of men and is not equally concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them, and the social conditions that cripple them is a spiritually moribund religion only waiting for the day to be buried. It well has been said: "A religion that ends with the individual, ends."

I feel that preaching is one of the most vital needs of our society, if it is used correctly. There is a great paradox in preaching: on the one it may be very helpful and on the other it may be very pernicious. It is my opinion that sincerity is not enough for the preaching ministry. The minister must be both sincere and intelligent...I also think that the minister should possess profundity of conviction. We have too many ministers in the pulpit who are great spellbinders and too few possess spiritual power. It is my profound conviction that I, as an aspirant for the ministry, should possess those powers.

I think that preaching should grow out of the experiences of the people. Therefore, I, as a minister, must know the problems of the people that I am pastoring. Too often do educated ministers leave the people lost in the fog of theological abstraction, rather than presenting that theology in the light of the people's experiences. It is my conviction that the minister must somehow take profound theological and philosophical views and place them in a concrete framework. I must forever make the complex the simple.

Above all, I see the preaching ministry as a dual process. On the one hand I must attempt to change the soul of individuals so that their societies may be changed. On the other I must attempt to change the societies so that the individual soul will have a change. Therefore, I must be concerned about unemployment, slums, and economic insecurity. I am a profound advocate of the social gospel.

-Carson, Clayborne, ed. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Warner Books, 1998. 18-19.

End of Semester Counsel by Zaid Shakir, Hatem Bazian and Hamza Yusuf

Thanks Yusuf

Roger Cohen: Mohammed the Brit

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/opinion/14iht-edcohen14.html?hp

Abdullah bin Hamid Ali: Reflections on the Convert/Non-Convert Divide: In Search of Belonging

http://www.lamppostproductions.com/files/articles/Convert_Non-Convert%20Divide.pdf

Muslim Picked for New Jersey Bench

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/nyregion/14christie.html?_r=1

via Sirfaraz

Tavis Smiley Presents "America's Next Chapter"

http://www.americasnextchapter.com/watchlive.html

Two costly wars, a fledging economy, a failing educational system, and job losses have Americans worried not only about the fate of the country but its legacy as a global leader. Broadcaster Tavis Smiley will convene a panel of thought leaders to wrestle with how America can return to its greatness. The panel will include opinion-makers such as Cornel West, Arianna Huffington, Maria Bartiromo, David Frum, Dana Milbank, David Brody, Maria Teresa Kumar, John Chen and other prominent thinkers.

"Is That An Alien Under Your Hijab?"...

http://www.elanthemag.com/index.php/site/blog_detail/is_that_an_alien_under_your_hijab-nid246914889/

Sunnyvale: Man who died in Hwy. 237 crash had just visited newborn granddaughter

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17086696?nclick_check=1

To God we belong and to God is our return. Fatiha.

Failing to Fast by Rachel Signer

http://killingthebuddha.com/mag/confession/failing-to-fast/

New talk by Abdal Hakim Murad: The Power of Monotheism

http://cambridgekhutbasetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/power-of-monotheism.html

MJ Rosenberg: The 'new' rhetoric of Islamophobia

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/01/201111074425968803.html

via Yusuf

also here: http://politicalcorrection.org/fpmatters/201101050002

Islamic Extremism- Talk by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (3/8)

Islamic Extremism- Talk by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (2/8)

Islamic Extremism- Talk by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (1/8)

Chris Hedges: Even Lost Wars Make Corporations Rich

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/even_lost_wars_make_corporations_rich_20110110/

Rep. Peter King: American Muslims Aren't "American"

http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/rep-peter-king-american-muslims-arent-american/

via Imam Anwar

Figures on Global Climate Show 2010 Tied 2005 as the Hottest Year on Record

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/science/earth/13climate.html?_r=1&hp

via Haroon

Retaining the Prophetic Heritage: Introduction to the Hadith Science

Class with Shaykh Abdullah bin Hamid Ali on the Bayquniyya

http://www.lamppostproductions.com/node/294

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf :: On Cambridge New Mosque Project

The Goldstone Report The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict

http://www.nationbooks.org/book/223/The%20Goldstone%20Report

"The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways. The point, however, is not to be changed by it."

-Abdal-Hakim Murad, Contentions 10 [June 2006],  # 1

haha, got a kick of this one :)

Anti-Islam blogger to hold pro-Wal-Mart rally....

http://www.salon.com/news/ground_zero_mosque/?story=/politics/war_room/2011/01/11/geller_mosque_walmart

via Faiza

Opponents of the Muslim center object to its construction near the site of the 9/11 attacks. One group, American Freedom Defense Initiative, has called for a protest at City Hall on Wednesday, when the City Council is scheduled to begin hearings on whether to allow a Walmart store to be built in New York.

The group is upset that some council members oppose such a store but support building the Islamic center.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/nyregion/12mosque.html

New Yorkers pray for Gaza victims (2-3 minute video clip + this write-up)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/159778.html

For the first time ever, the largest church in New York had a special prayer for the people of Palestine.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral is a historical landmark, drawing tourists from all over the world. Today it was for the Gazans killed and wounded during the Israeli war on the strip two years ago.

Pastor Khader El-Yateem is a Palestinian-American from Bethlehem and is urging everyone to pray for the people of Gaza and the rest of Palestine

With large numbers of Christians leaving the Middle East, the Clergy today had another message for the ones that are left: stay put and be Patient.

The prayer service had a somber feel to it as worshippers prayed for peace and justice for Palestinians of all faiths.

The Gaza strip remains besieged with little food and medical supplies allowed in, and almost no access to the outside world.

Bethlehem is the city Jesus was born in, but remains under Israeli occupation and divided from Jerusalem by an apartheid wall.

Dr. Umar on liquor franchises

One of the most serious social ills affecting the American Muslim community at present is the existence of thousands of liquor stores owned by immigrant Muslims in the nation’s inner cities. Their presence threatens to undermine the gains that African-American Muslims made during the twentieth century through social engagement in these communities. In Chicago and other American cities, the ubiquitous presence of Muslim-owned liquor franchises has been a source of tension and conflict. [31] For Muslims to operate such stores or to ignore their presence is much more than a violation of the Islamic code. The liquor stores harm the neighborhoods and families where they are located and generally cast all Muslims in a negative light. In the eyes of prominent Muslim and non-Muslim civic leaders, the Muslim-owned liquor businesses in the inner cities are a socioeconomic blight. It is a top-priority societal obligation that American Muslims address this program more effectively and find a judicious solution.

-Dr. Umar F. Abd-Allah, "Living Islam With Purpose," pg.17-18

Mother Jones: The Year in Islamophobia: Timeline

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/12/year-islamophobia

I Am a Muslimerican by the filmmaker of 'Mooz-lum'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/qasim-basir/muslimerican_b_685553.html

see CAIR-LA note "Movie-Goers Asked to Request Local Screenings of ‘Mooz-lum’"

I'm probably the last one to watch & post this...TEDxRainier - Lesley Hazleton

also available here: http://www.ted.com/talks/lesley_hazelton_on_reading_the_koran.html

Serious Guns and White Terrorism: Two Unasked Question in Tucson Mass Murder

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/guns-and-terrorism-two-un_b_806466.html

via Imam D

Rachel Maddow talks with New York City Sherriff, Edgar Domench, about whether there are any lessons learned from past mass shootings that can help avoid another tragedy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/#41011447

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Opinion: The Year Tía Luisa Tried to Defend Us From the Muslim Stamp

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2010/12/23/tia-luisa-anti-muslim-email-blast/

via islamicate

LA Times: Working to boost social activism among Muslims

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beliefs-community-20110101,0,6014477.story

via islamicate

What is Islamic Tradition? by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 4/4)

Alhamdullilah finally completed listening to both lectures (each one being 4 parts!)

http://vimeo.com/17738515


What is Islamic Tradition? by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 4/4) from UH MSA on Vimeo.

The not so great Islamist menace

Excellent piece about Europe

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Gardner+great+Islamist+menace/4058778/story.html

via Professor Fadel

5 Ridiculous Things You Probably Believe About Islam

http://www.cracked.com/article_18911_5-ridiculous-things-you-probably-believe-about-islam.html

via a classmate from elementary school, Kashem Miah :)

Tucson should make Rep. King rethink Muslim probe

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/spy-talk/2011/01/tucson_should_make_rep_king_re.html

via Hussam

Behind the veil: Stereoytypes can be frustrating for Muslim women

http://www.uticaod.com/features/x1966199140/Behind-the-veil-Stereoytypes-can-be-frustrating-for-Muslim-women

via Khaliff

(Australia) Converts find it hard to fit into Muslim culture

''The classic situation is that Muslim converts are welcomed as an affirmation of the correctness of a Muslim's belief … But after a while people forget that [converts] need to be welcomed into the community … They can end up feeling a bit like a minority within a minority.''

http://www.smh.com.au/national/converts-find-it-hard-to-fit-into-muslim-culture-20110110-19l7w.html

via Hanan

"Living Islam With Purpose" by Dr. Umar F. Abd-Allah

The earlier Nawawi Foundation paper Islam and the Cultural Imperative addressed the necessity of establishing an authentic indigenous Muslim cultural presence in America. Living Islam with Purpose complements that paper by offering an operational framework for accomplishing the task. This framework consists of “five operational principles,” which are discussed at length and illustrated with examples:

   • Trusting reason
   • Respecting dissent
   • Stressing societal obligation
   • Setting priorities
   • Embracing maxims

These five principles are central to the Islamic tradition and embody the practical wisdom and consummate sensibility of the Prophetic teaching. The paper emphasizes the need for American Muslims as a whole to become directly involved in their self-definition and the construction of their future as individuals and communities. This task cannot be left to others or to chance; the five operational principles provide an invaluable resource for determining the way forward. Living Islam with Purposefocuses on the American Muslim community but is relevant to Muslims everywhere, especially those in the West. 
Read Full Article 


http://nawawi.org/downloads/article6.pdf

Zaytuna College Story 3: "A Bridge Back Home"

Zay

Maqam Centre, London, UK

"This web site provides information on the MAQAM Centre, a unique and exciting new addition to London’s multicultural landscape. The project is promoted by the Yusuf Islam Foundation.

The MAQAM will be an exhibition, arts and well-being space, aimed at drawing a balance between the mind, body and spirit. It will serve as a venue where people, regardless of faith or background, can come together to learn about themselves and each other and increase their understanding and enjoyment of Islam’s spiritual, artistic and material contributions."

http://vimeo.com/17632355


Maqam Centre, London, UK from YIForguk on Vimeo.

http://www.themaqam.com/

via Peter

Daily Show: 2010 Part 2 - The Re-Sh*t Stormening

Peter King wants to discuss the radicalization of Muslims, Michele Bachmann hopes to repeal ObamaCare, and Darrell Issa releases a vanity project.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
2010 Part 2 - The Re-Sh*t Stormening
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog</a> The Daily Show on Facebook

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-4-2011/2010-part-2---the-re-sh-t-stormening

حياتنا (26) أبناؤنا في المهجر

What is Islamic Tradition? by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 3/4)

http://vimeo.com/17735018


What is Islamic Tradition? by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 3/4) from UH MSA on Vimeo.

What is Islamic Tradition? by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 2/4)

http://vimeo.com/17732288


What is Islamic Tradition? by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 2/4) from UH MSA on Vimeo.

"U.S. Will Counter Chinese Arms Buildup"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/world/asia/09military.html

Sad to read after completing Chalmer Johnson's book Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic (American Empire Project) about the militarization and excessive spending on 'defense', writing in 2006:

The likelihood is that the United States will maintain a facade of constitutional government and drift along until financial bankruptcy overtakes it. Of course, bankruptcy will not mean the literal end of the United States any more than it did for Germany in 1923, China in 1948, or Argentina in 2001-2. In might, in fact, open the way for an unexpected restoration of the American system, or for military rule, or simply for some new development we cannot yet imagine. Certainly, such a bankruptcy would mean a drastic lowering of our standard of living, a loss of control over international affairs, a process of adjusting to the rise of other powers, including China and India, and a further discrediting of the notion that the United States is somehow exceptional compared to other nations. We will have to learn what it means to be a far poorer nation and the attitudes and manners that go with it. As Anatol Lieven, author of America Right or Wrong: An Anatomy of American Nationalism, concludes, "U.S. global power, as presently conceived by the overwhelming majority of the U.S. establishment, is unsustainable...The empire can no longer raise enough taxes or soldiers, it is increasingly indebted, and key vassal states are no longer reliable....The result is that the empire can no longer pay for enough of the professional troops it need to fulfill its self-assumed imperial tasks." [71] (269-270)

Study Finds Family Connections Give Big Advantage in College Admissions

No surprise there...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/education/09legacies.html

Bob Herbert: Misery With Plenty of Company

"Meanwhile, we hear not a word — not so much as a peep — about the poor, whose ranks are spreading like a wildfire in a drought."


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/opinion/08herbert.html

Frank Rich: Let Obama’s Reagan Revolution Begin

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/opinion/09rich.html?hp

What is Islamic Tradition? by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 1/4)

http://vimeo.com/17722467

I really like Dr. Umar if you haven't figured that out by now ;)


What is Islamic Tradition? by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 1/4) from UH MSA on Vimeo.

Living Islam with a Purpose by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 4/4)

Finally finished listening to the whole set alhamdullilah!


Living Islam with a Purpose by Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (part 4/4) from UH MSA on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/18108268

'Muslim Women Do That'

http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2010/12/17/muslim-women-do-that/

"White girls seen as 'easy meat' by Pakistani rapists, says Jack Straw"...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/08/jack-straw-white-girls-easy-meat

via Khalid

Rabbi Michael Lerner: Our Outrage at Shooting of Jewish Congresswoman Giffords

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Rabbi-Michael-Lerner-Our-by-Rabbi-Michael-Lern-110109-178.html