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Dr Kaukab Siddique | Editor-in-Chief Ramadan 8,1427/October 2, 2006 #66

Ramadan Message # 2: Beware of oppressing women for Allah is with them: "Allah has indeed heard (and accepted) the word of the woman who pleads with thee [O Muhammad] concerning her husband and carries her complaint (in prayer) to Allah. And Allah (always) hears the arguments between both sides among you: For Allah Hears and Sees [all things].
[The Qur'an 58:1]

Very Brief Ramadan studies
by Kaukab Siddique
The Qur'an Recognizes Five Kinds of Knowledge

1. Empirical knowledge: mathematical, experimental, observational, socio-economic.
This is the kind of knowledge best known in our times. Its foundations were laid by Islam. According to Hadith of the Prophet, pbuh, there is a cure for EVERY disease.

2. Rational knowledge, including logic and axiology. The use of reason is strongly recommended in the Qur'an. Plato and Aristotle were translated by the Arabs. In turn Europe was influenced by Islamic rationality. Kant's Critique of Pure Reason has Islamic influence in it.

3. Intuitive knowledge, including poetic inspiration, love [highest form being the mother's love for the child], conscience, compassion and forgiveness. The world's greatest poetry is influenced by Islam, be it that of Rumi, Son Jara, Iqbal or Ghalib.

4. Law and traditional Knowledge. The Qur'an links the present to the past and teaches the rule of Law. Thus the best of the PAST is incorporated into Islam but the ephemeral and the historically limited knowledge is left out. SHARIA is extremely advanced and well developed in Islam.

5. Revelation. This is the highest form of knowledge and was given to Noah, Abraham, Hajira, Moses, Maryam, Jesus and Muhammad [peace be on them], and was perfected, completed and finalized in the Qur'an and in the life, teachings and example [Hadith] of Muhammad, pbuh.
Revelation is directly from Allah [the God, the Creator of all beings and worlds]. It can be recognized as other than human owing to its revolutionary nature and "impossiblity" within the social context in which it was revealed.
For instance, in pre-Islamic Arab society as well as in other societies before Muhammad, pbuh, women were regarded as the property of men and were often bought and even "inherited" by men. The Qur'an rejected the existing social norms and went outside all the "possibilities" in that era by proclaiming that not only are women and men equal but that women must INHERIT property themselves.
The Qur'an is Islam's LIVING MIRACLE. Muhammad, pbuh, was unlettered, had no human teacher and had not been to any school. He did not write or think up the Qur'an or make any claim of being the author of a Book which re-shaped the world in all its dimensions.
MIRACLES of Jesus, pbuh, and other messengers of Allah are mentioned in the Qur'an to illustrate the Power of Allah but they are downplayed if not entirely left out in the mission of Muhammad, pbuh. Instead JIHAD is taught as central to Islam. Jihad is the uprising of the oppressed and the downtrodden against the oppressors, the exploiters, the slave masters who pretend to be "gods" and who try to displace the Authority of Allah with their own.

Jamaat al-Muslimeen News
Peaceful but Uncompromising Islamic Movement [7 items]
P.O. Box 10881
Baltimore, MD 21234

Lynne Stewart Asks Court for Mercy and Justice

World famous attorney, Lynne Stewart, who defended the blind Shaikh, Dr. Omar 'Abdel Rahman, pro bono, free of charge, has written a long letter to the court, asking for understanding, mercy and justice. She was convicted of giving assistance to "terrorists" and is facing a long sentence.

It is indeed a dark day in American history that a 65-year old grandmother who has spent her life fighting for the rights of the oppressed is being treated as a "terrorism" related person. What is this great country coming to under the control of the Zionists! What a shame and a disgrace!

[Jamaat will bring a summary of Ms. Stewart's letter to our readers in the next issue. Interested readers are welcome to ask us for the complete letter.]

National Shoora to Meet in Milwaukee, November 4.
Host: Prof. Suleyman Kurter
Khateeb: Imam Badi Ali
Da'i il-al Haq: Br. Sulaiman Solano

Inshallah on November 4, the Central Committee [National Shoora] of Jamaat al-Muslimeen will meet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Shoora will discuss and analyze policies required to mobilize the Muslims of America to stand up for their rights based on the Qur'an and the Hadith in a peaceful manner within the law of the land.

Readers interested in placing an item on the agenda should write to our address in Baltimore [above] or email:

ksidd37398@aol.com

Hail Imam Umar!
Charges against Imam Warith Deen Umar proved Bogus: Yet Judge Gave him token Punishment!
by Abu Talib, Jamaat al-Muslimeen, Brooklyn

The hearing for Imam Umar in downtown Manhattan on September 29 proved that the charges against him were ridiculous and were concocted by the government to intimidate and/or provoke him. The judge couldn't find anything to punish him for, yet to fulfil the "guidelines" given to him sentenced the Imam to one year house arrest, which will be appealed, inshallah.

Imam Umar spoke up in the court. It was a speech for which all Muslims and people of African descent can be proud. This man looks like a winner. He did not flinch in the face of state terrorism.
[Please scroll down to end for complete report on this travesty of justice the government tried against the Imam.]

Glenn Beck on the Retreat: Brings Muslims to his Program but Continues to be Nasty

After Jamaat al-Muslimeen let loose a flurry of counterattacks against CNN's clown Glenn Beck, he toned down his attacks on Islam. He is still attacking but is not abusive. In fact on two separate days he brought Muslims to the screen. They were not effective but at least changed the tone of Beck's program to something like the O'Reilly show.

How to Deal with Glenn Beck and His Ilk
by Sis. Aisha, Jamaat al-Muslimeen New York City

I went to the CNN.com site and sent a letter to the CNN Headline News dept at:
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/hdlns/

I think that it would be best to let the bosses know that Muslims are not happy with his show. However, zionist Jews write the show's advertisers when they feel the least bit insulted. It only takes a few letters threatening a boycott to get a response.

I've also included JetBlue's response to my letter regarding their barring an Arab man for wearing a t-shirt with Arabic lettering. I don't think I'll fly JetBlue, again.

Imam Warith Deen Umar Comments on Glenn Beck's Threat of "Camps for Muslims"
[From Albany, New York]

Glenn Beck is a clown. He acts like a clown, he sounds like a clown and he looks like a clown. He should be on our list of ISLAMOPHOBES. We should publish a list of ISLAMOPHOBES and ISLAMOPHILES. The lists should be published regularly and consistently as a regular feature of New Trend (and other Islamic publications) until the war against Islam is over so the believers and others will know who's who. We must verbally (and with the pen) attack Glenn Beck. By the way, somebody should let him know, America can't incarcerate 7 million Muslims or 7 million people period, even if they wanted to. We are not the 70,000 docile Japanese detainees, nor would we ever be the many Jews who silently marched to the German death camps and gas chambers, so that bit of fear doesn't work. If they ever tried to do something against American Muslims, all hell would break out and that would be the beginning of the end of good ol' USA. Good Americans won't let that happen.

[Ed. Note: We should be cautious about the "German gas chambers" story. It has come under in-depth criticism by revisionist historians and analysts such as Mark Weber, Arthur Butz, David Irving and Germar Rudolf. There is not much of it left to be believed]

Prof. Sami al-Arian Moved Secretly Within Prison System

On or about September 20, Prof. Sami al-Arian was moved from the medium security prison in Coleman, Florida by governmental authorities. No one would have known except that a brother who embraced Islam in prison informed us.

It seems that Prof. Al-Arian has been taken to Virginia probably to be subjected to a grand jury hearing by prosecutor Kromberg who is notorious for his anti-Muslim bigotry. Looks like a move to persecute more Muslims.

Readers might remember that Prof. Sami al-Arian, a university professor in Florida, was accused of 'terrorism' connections by Zionist circles in America. Jewish women's organization Hadassah was used to beare false witness against him. The charges were bogus and he was acquitted of most of them. However, the Zionist Jews had to have their pound of flesh [like the Jew in Shakespeare's play] and the government decided to deport him. He was to be held at Coleman, Florida till April 2007 prior to deportation. Now he is being oppressed again.

PAKISTAN: Letter sent to New Trend by email
Leading Islamic Charity Categorically Rejects U.S. Government Charges Related to Earthquake Relief and "Terrorism": Debunks New York Times Report.

Jama'at-ud-Da'wah has rejected the allegations made by US treasury department in its Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines for Charitable Sector. Jama'at-ud-Da'wah has sent a letter via fax to the Secretary Treasury Mr. Henry M. Paulson and condemned the US government for sowing hate among Muslims. Here is the text of the letter.

Jama'at-ud-Da'wah Pakistan
Department of Media and Information

September 30, 2006

To: Mr. Henry M. Paulson

Secretary, Department of Treasury, Government of the United States of America, Washington, DC, USA

The US Department of Treasury, in its 'Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-Based Charities', released on September 29, 2006, has blamed Jama'at-ud-Da'wah of using its relief activities and funds in support of terrorism, after last year's earthquake in Pakistan.

We would like to inform you that these financing guidelines do not present even a shred of evidence proving usage of funds, or any other resources, for terrorist activities by Jama'at-ud-Da'wah. What has been presented as 'proof' against Jama'at-ud-Da'wah is mentioned in these words: 'As reported through a wide range of media resources'.

Do media reports in various Western media constitute evidence? Especially, when such reports are biased towards, and full of hatred, against Muslims and Islam? Has any independent commission, or organization, ever bothered to investigate what kind of activities does Jama'at-ud-Da'wah really carry out?

An example of the legitimacy of such media reports which have been quoted in the guidelines in trying to link Jama'at-ud-Da'wah with terrorist activities is the New York Times 'report' published last month. Soon after the London plane hijack 'plot' surfaced, the New York Times published a 'report' which claimed that the 'alleged' 'future perpetrators' of the 'alleged plot' were 'allegedly' (all italics ours) provided funds by Jama'at-ud-Da'wah for the said alleged plot. The 'report' also claims that these funds had been collected and raised at various Masajid (mosques) in Britain by Jama'at-ud-Da'wah where it maintains an active network.

This report borders on the hilarious, to say the least. For one thing, Jama'at-ud-Da'wah neither has a network in Britain, nor has it ever raised or collected funds in Britain. Had this been the case, there would have been ample 'real' proof of such an activity, since fund raising activities are well publicized events.

A further proof that this was a fabricated report is that it quotes two 'former officials' of Britain and Pakistan respectively, none of whom had been named in the report. Moreover, the report had a few quotes from Jama'at-ud-Da'wah's website which had also been manufactured. When the New York Times was informed of all the errors and fabrications in the report, one of the reporters of the manufactured report called Jama'at-ud-Da'wah's spokesman on the telephone and apologized for all the lies. But alas, the damage had been done.

If media reports are to be presented as proof, then why are authentic reports by the Pakistani media about Jama'at-ud-Da'wah not quoted by the US government, which give verifiable details of Jama'at-ud-Da'wah's excellent and praiseworthy work throughout Pakistan?

The attempt by the US government to associate Jama'at-ud-Da'wah with terrorism is tantamount to snatching food from the mouths of the poor victims of the devastating earthquake, because Jama'at-ud-Da'wah is the only organization which has been helping the victims of the quake right up to the present day. On the other hand, all that the US did was to fly a few helicopters and leave. Even the fuel for these helicopters was provided by Pakistan, and not the US.

A similar case is that of NGOs which usually spend their time and money in the cultivation and promotion of Western culture. They too fled the devastating landscape in a matter of days. Only Jama'at-ud-Da'wah was left to care for and feed the victims of the quake.

Jama'at-ud-Da'wah has spent more than a staggering 1.42 billion rupees in quake aid in the form of medicines, food, shelter, etc. The affected people of the quake are living witnesses to Jama'at-ud-Da'wah's honesty and integrity during the distribution of relief aid and funds. It was Jama'at-ud-Da'wah's integrity which motivated various subsidiary and affiliated department of the United Nations to cooperate with Jama'at-ud-Da'wah. These UN affiliates and departments chose Jama'at-ud-Da'wah for the distribution of their aid because they needed someone trustable and honest, and they did not find anyone more trustable, sincere, and honest than Jama'at-ud-Da'wah. These organizations found Jama'at-ud-Da'wah workers as honest, soft-hearted, helping individuals –– not crazed terrorists, such as the US government and its 'media reports' would like to portray them.

It is a pity that regardless of the tremendous trust and confidence shown in Jama'at-ud-Da'wah by international and local organizations, the Department of Treasury of the United States Government has chosen to portray it negatively on the basis of a few 'media reports'.

We do not expect any apology or corrections from you. We have written this letter to you solely to put it on the record that Jama'at-ud-Da'wah rejects all charges and allegations which the US Government has brought against it.

Jama'at-ud-Da'wah is a welfare organization engaged in relief and welfare activities, while calling people to righteousness and good deeds. It is not involved in any terrorist activities, nor is it related to any terrorist organization. It is not a secret organization, and its offices and doors are open to everyone. Anyone is welcome to come and have a look for themselves, anytime.

Jama'at-ud-Da'wah is currently operating four major hospitals, more than 150 Free Dispensaries, more than 80 ambulances, more than 140 modern schools, two full fledged Science Colleges, and 35 seminaries. It boasts a country-wide support base of millions of supporters. There is not a single area in Pakistan where Jama'at-ud-Da'wah does not have supporters or a support network. It is one of the most popular welfare organizations in Pakistan which also expresses its views regarding current political issues facing the country.

The US Government, by adopting a discriminatory attitude towards Muslim relief and welfare organizations, is sowing seeds of hatred against itself. We ask the US Government to stop such discriminatory attitudes towards Muslims, Muslim organizations, and Muslim countries immediately.

Abdullah Muntazir (Press Secretary)

Even the Judge Was ashamed to Pass Sentence on Imam Warith Deen Umar: His non-Muslim, anti-War Neighbors Stood by Him. He Refused to Accept Slavery

Dear Friends,
Imam Umar was sentenced yesterday to one year of home confinement. He will not have to use an ankle bracelet; he can leave his home for work and medical visits, and for religious reasons. He was also fined $100.
He is planning to appeal the sentence.
No crime was committed by Imam Umar, other than the crime of being Black and Muslim. There was, however, a crime committed by the government against Imam Umar; the sentence, therefore, while relatively light, is nonetheless unjust.

This case is a perfect example of what Malcolm X talked about: how in this country, they make the criminal into the victim and the victim into the criminal.

During the court session at which he was sentenced, Imam Umar gave a wonderful speech that moved everyone in the room. He talked about the slanderous article in the Wall Street Journal and the attacks made against him by Senator Schumer and Governor Pataki. He talked about the prosecution's refusal to return the belongings they took from his homes and about how, when he was arrested on the gun charge, he spent four days in jail because the prosecutor told the judge he was a dangerous man. While in jail, he was denied his medicine and the kind of food he is required to eat as an observant Muslim. When he left the jail, they told him that they had lost his clothes, and so he was forced to go out in the cold wearing a thin jail garment. During his speech, he pulled the jail clothes from a bag and gave them back to the federal prosecutor.

Umar talked about his upbringing and the decisions he had made to live in pursuit of peace, justice, and prosperity, which he described as core values of his religion. He stated that he could not accept wearing an ankle bracelet on home arrest; he views this as a throwback to slavery, and he could not do this in front of his young children. He described the trauma his youngest child experienced when his home was invaded by the New York City Police and the fact that the child still has nightmares about this.
Umar talked about how some of his co-workers, some other Muslims, and some friends abandoned him because they became afraid after he was attacked. He told the court how members of Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace rallied behind him.

Before pronouncing the sentence, the judge talked for a long time. He related how Imam Umar bought the shotgun and the rifle, the subjects of the trial, about 20 years ago while living on a farm in Orange County.
The judge also had lived in that area. The judge asked Imam Umar if he remembered the case of the correction officers from the area who had been fired from their jobs. Imam Umar replied that he did remember, and that the officers were fired for being members of the KKK. The judge asked if Umar bought the guns as protection from them. Umar said he had not; he bought them mainly for recreational purposes.
The judge went over how Umar had turned his life around after being arrested as a teenager. He mentioned that he had committed no crimes during the intervening 38 years, that he had raised a family of nine children who had turned out to be exemplary people. He pointed to Imam Umar's fatherhood and family as examples to be emulated.
Judge Patterson also talked about the Wall Street Journal article, which the prosecution wanted him to take into consideration in deciding the sentence. The judge explained that he believes the New York Times recently took the Pope's comments about Muslims out of context and that he had no doubt that the Wall Street Journal had done the same with Imam Umar. He mentioned that the Wall Street Journal had reported that Imam Umar ´called the 9/11 hijackers martyrs, but that Umar had immediately corrected the Journal, stating that what he had actually said was that the 9/11 hijackers ´considered themselves martyrs. Therefore, the judge refused to take the article into consideration.
The federal courts have sentencing guidelines that are not absolute, but a judge must cite reasons to divert from them.
Apparently, this judge did not follow the guidelines; he seemed to try very hard to find mitigating circumstances. But what he appeared to take into consideration above all other factors was Umar's character, his history of working for the Department of Corrections, and his value as a father, as a husband, and as a member of his community. In this regard, he mentioned the letters that many of us wrote in support of Imam Umar. The judge went through these letters one by one, explaining who had written them: ´This one is from a neighbor; this one from an MD; this one from a professor, etc.

Judge Patterson appeared to have a difficult time stating the sentence. He held his head in his hand and looked away while pronouncing the sentence.

The $100 fine was clearly a slap in the face of the prosecutor. The home confinement, at least, is keeping Umar out of jail and with his family.

Ron Kuby has 10 days to file an appeal. Imam Umar wants to continue to push for the justice that he deserves. He intends to sue the NYPD and others for the home invasions and to continue his fight for justice.

Please see the Imam Umar Defense Committee web page at nepajac.org/ImamUmar.htm (to be updated soon).

Peace,
Joe Lombardo

2006-10-02 Mon 18:08:05 cdt
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