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Dr Kaukab Siddique | Editor-in-Chief Ramadan 11, 1432/August 12, 2011 # 34



What are Muslims doing to the Qur'an? Powerful article by a scholarly sister in Houston. Please scroll to end.



Very special item:
Pakistani eyewitness, Bashir, says, only ONE helicopter landed at Osama's house. 12 Americans jumped out and could have captured the Islamic leader, but when they tried to leave, their helicopter was blown up with them and him in it. Hundreds of Pakistanis entered the house and saw pieces of dead bodies. Detailed interview with Pakistani Urdu language [private] TV, followed by English translation by an attorney of Information Clearing House. See both below. Scroll down.



The Somalis who rejected Islamic forces are dying slowly:
About Somalia: Hurtful but truthful thoughts: One of our sisters has brought some key beliefs of Islam to our attention. She says: It is true that oppression and war have brought suffering to Somalia. However, the current tragedy is from drought. Allah is not sending rain. Is it possible that the Somalis have angered God by not joining al-Shabab? If all the Somalis had joined the Islamic forces, they could have overthrown the western-backed military in Mogadishu. They had the chance to fight and live and die for Islam. They did not. So now they are dying of horrible malnutrition, disease and thirst. [By contradt, the Shabab are not dying and are withdrawing in a disciplined way.]

When Allah gives you a chance, take it, she says, otherwise don't be shocked by the horrible consequences.

"As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, but Allah does not love those who do wrong." {The Qur'an 3:56}



For the corruption of a major western charity and the tragedy in Somalia, please scroll way down.



Our America: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=214644185252189

A PEACE MARCH AND RALLY

In Defense of Muslims, Peace Activists, Immigrants and the Better of the "Two Americas"

WHEN

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

WHERE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, DC

Please mark your calendars and plan to join us!

This will be an opportunity for peacefully inclined, law abiding Muslims in America to join hands with equally-inclined peace activists, immigrants, and inter-faith groups, and engage in proactive First Amendment pushback on some of the major human rights issues of the day (issues that affect us all directly or indirectly).

If you reside in the Washington (DC) area and would like to assist as a volunteer in this very important mobilization effort, and you are dependable, let us hear from you.

For more information call (301) 220-0133 or E-mail: peacethrujustice@aol.com

Insha'Allah, a list of coalition/mobilization partners will soon be forthcoming.

Sponsor: The Peace Thru Justice Foundation
Co-Sponsor: Justice For Shifa and Haris Support Committee
www.freeshifa.com
www.youtube.com/user/FreeShifa
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=62107787609&ref=mf
www.ipetitions.com/petition/FreeShifa
www.lettersforshifa.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/freeshifa



Jamaat al-Muslimeen [News], P.O. Box 10881, Baltimore, MD 21234
Helping Homeless Women [including non-Muslims]
Al-Mumtahinah home, named after a chapter of the Qur'an is led by Sis. Nadia McIntosh, an African American woman in strict hijab.

Homeless women need all kinds of daily things, even toilet paper. tooth paste and towels. Ramadan is the best time to help them. Send to:

Women's Affairs of AMH, P.O. Box 1462, Baltimore, MD 21203

Phone: 443-965-0555



Breaking the Monopoly of Big Money Mosques
You are invited to a newly developing Islamic Center
A Nigerian sister and her supporters are making this a success. It's on the west side of Baltimore. Take the Liberty road exit from the beltway. Go three miles. Go left on Green Lane. Make immediate right on Marcella, go to end. Turn left on private road.

Come for prayers, juma, iftar to:

Randallstown Islamic Center, 9019 Marcella Ave., Randallstown, MD 21133



Outreach to 100 after juma' : Masjid al-Nur, White March area, Ebenezer road, northeast of Baltimore
The sleepiest, most scared, "sufi" Imam in Maryland
On August 12, Jamaat al-Muslimeen's literature was given to 100 Muslims at Masjid Nur. About 40% of them were Pakistanis, 50% Arabs, the rest African Americans, Malaysians and Africans.

The literature was hard hitting, including a video of the Red Mosque attack by General Musharraf, Jamaate Islamic leader Hasan speaking in Saudi Arabia, Syrian demonstrations, an article on Maudoodi by Dr. Badri, al-Qaida's activities in Yemen, Muslim & Christian women, and a Bangladeshi woman's appeal.

The imam is an old man from Syria, known as Khalil. His khutba was so boring and low key, it was like a child reading a primary school book on fasting. Khalil has been doing this for years: keeping his audiences sleepy and totally cut off from the issues facing the Muslim world. [He spent a few minutes explaining that travellers are exempt from fasting. He parses basic hadith about fasting as if no one knows that Muslims have to fast in Ramadan!]

Imam Khalil has no one to correct him. At times he forgets that he is talking to a crowd and says: "Ya Akhi" forgetting that it is singular in Arabic. At times he says "brothers" forgetting the sisters enclosed upstairs.

Most shamefully, Khalil, a Syrian, didn't say a word about the historic uprising which is top of the news from Syria. The Muslims of Syria are giving their blood against the tyrant Assad but this doddering old fool doesn't make even du'a for them. It is said that he is linked to the pro-US, CAIR-ISNA-type "Muslim Brotherhood."

[New Trend urges Imam Khalil to explain his links, and that of other Syrian imams in USA, with the tyrant Assad of Syria He is welcome to write to New Trend.]



"Great" Britain: The Inside Story
1069 Arrested.
August 6-12: In London, from Tottenham to Brixton to Croydon, the disturbances spread with great rapidity. The Brits brought in 16,000 police. It's like an occupation. But then, the "disturbances" spread to Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Wolverhampton, Gloucester and other towns. In Birmingham, Indo-Pakistani origin vs African origin racial hatred has come out. [The rulers like this.]

Britain which enslaved Africans and then colonized Africa, is being exposed by its people of African descent. Prime Minister Cameron calls the youths "criminals," so, to balance it out we bring this video with a comment by Nadrat Siddique:

London Riots. (The BBC will never replay this. Send it out) www.youtube.com. Darcus Howe, a West Indian Writer and Broadcaster with a voice about the riots. Speaking about the mistreatment of youths by police leading to an up-roar and...

[Enter youtube and write: London riots 2011. Darcus Howe.]



Bahrain: Humanity in Agony: Must see Video.
Linked to US Naval Base & Saudi Intervention
Two of New Trend's non-Muslim readers have jointly sent us this comment with video. [CAIR, ISNA, ICNA are silent because of Saudi-US control]

We can't believe that we lived and worked in this little country from 1983 through Dec.1988. It was so calm and peaceful then. The international press is not allowed in Bahrain; thus there is total censorship there. The U.S. Fifth Fleet is located there, thus (probably) the reason for U.S. involvement, as is the case in Libya and Somalia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaTKDMYOBOU



Latest News:

Libya: August 10. As reported by AFP, NATO's bombing attacks have killed 85 civilians in a village near Zliter, western Libya. Of them, 32 are children, 33 women and 20 men. The video is graphic. Don't don't let children see it.

http://youtu.be/C3Zt18n_Fwo

[NATO claims it was bombing military targets.]

Islamic feelings are boiling up against NATO's war crimes.

Somalia: August 6: Al-Shabab Islamic forces withdrew in good order from Mogadishu. This takes away the excuse from western powers that relief is not going in owing to al-Shabab. After the Shabab left, there were scenes of chaos in Mogadishu as civilians and soldiers of the western-installed "government" fought each other for the relief, resulting in one dead and six injured. "Government" soldiers also fought each other, resulting in ten dead and several injured. Refugees are pouring into Mogadishu to obtain relief supplies.

Yemen: Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is now well established in Yemen tribal areas. One of its cells, known as the Foreign Operations Unit, focuses its efforts on conducting al Qaeda's business abroad. The U.S. government has issued a "capture-kill" order for al-Awlaki. His colleagues in the unit include Ibrahim Hassan Asiri, whose talents and creativity as a bomb-maker are near legendary. A second American-born member of the unit is Samir Khan. Khan is believed play a pivotal role in the production of English-language extremist magazine Inspire.

While al-Awlaki plans terrorist attacks, Khan toils tirelessly on the Internet, trying to inspire "lone wolves" to take up arms against "the great Satan." As the Yemeni government was melting under the heat of the Arab Spring, 63 al Qaeda operatives staged a breakout from a Yemeni prison in Hadramout. They all remain at large -- and doubtless in touch with the unit. [Source including language from: Washington Examiner]

Pakistan: August 11. A woman from the Islamic tribal areas attacked a Paki police unit in Peshawar's Lahori gate area. First she secretly detonated a bomb in a cart which killed 4 policemen; then she personally appeared, threw a hand grenade at police and then blew herself up. The government media are focusing on a civilian who was also killed in the attack. Numerous police were injured and several shops and cars caught fire. [Source: Urdu language media.]

[Editorial comment: The Islamic communities in the frontier areas have suffered 40,000 people killed in three years by the Pakistani army. However, instead of giving up, the women are joining the fight back against the Pakis.]

Palestine: August 11: The Israeli occupation's "interior ministry" has approved the construction of another 1600 housing units in Jerusalem. Another 2700 housing units are awaiting approval. More than 500,000 Jews from all over the world are now living in the West Bank. [BBC]

Afghanistan: Another 8 NATO troops were killed by the mujahideen on August 11 and 12. This brings to 56 the NATO death toll for 12 days of August. It includes the 30 US Special Forces [of them, 22 Navy Seals who killed Shaykh Osama] killed on August 5 when the Taliban used a grenade to bring down a Chinook-47. Only 8 Taliban killed so far.

[Editorial comment: The US is very hurt by the loss of the Navy seals {$1 million dollars each} and has claimed that its jet fighters have killed the Taliban fighter who did the smack down. However, the report is so vague as to lack any credibility. It seems to be propaganda to soothe the Americans who have been told they can't be defeated.]


Shaykh Osama: Pakistani Eyewitness Contradicts US Report

· EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW-OBL Operation Was Not Successful (Eye Witness Claims).flv

www.youtube.com Bashir, whose home is in front of Osma's house and he watched whole operation from the roof of his house and he said that out of 3 only one helicopter landed ...

Pakistan TV Report Contradicts US Claim of Bin Laden's Death : Information Clearing House News
www.informationclearinghouse.i?nfo

By Paul Craig Roberts .August 06, 2011 "Information Clearing House" -- In my recent article, "Creating Evidence Where There Is None," about the alleged killing of Osama bin Laden by a commando team of US Seals in Abbottabad, Pakistan, I provided a link to ...



Did the Prophet, pbuh, and the Sahaba, r.a., pray taraweehs?

Think of how different is our "Islam" from that of Muhammad, peace be on him.

by Kaukab Siddique

"Many a person gets nothing out of fasting except hunger and thirst." [Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, Hadith in the Sunan of ibn Majah, chapter on Siyam.]

Is there any hadith from Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, which says we should pray taraweehs, 22 rakahs or 8 or 12 or any other number? Is The word taraweeh used in the Qur'an and the hadith? I can see tahajjud. I can see qiyam al-layl, but these are not specifically related to Ramadan.

If the Prophet, pbuh, had been praying taraweeh, how could he have fought the battle of Badr? How could he have conquered Makka? Both of these history making events took place in the life of the Prophet, pbuh, during Ramadan. I have checked all the hadith sources about these two events and there is absolutely no reference to taraweeh.

When Ayesha, r.a., died, it was Ramadan and all the women of Madinah came out at night for her burial. Again there is no reference to taraweeh.

Narrations from others than the Prophet, pbuh, do not constitute the essential texts of Islam. Only the Qur'an and the authentic hadith are absolutely essential to Islam. There are narrations which claim that Umar, r.a., and Ali, r.a., not only prayed taraweehs but organized them. The problem is that Umar, r.a., was involved in the biggest jihad movement in Islamic history which involved just about all the sahaba and brought about the downfall of the two superpowers of that time. The details of this tremendous struggle are available in all the earliest Islamic history books. NONE OF THEM mention taraweehs.

Great numbers [perhaps all] the sahaba were involved in this struggle, directly or indirectly. NONE OF THEM nor any of the new converts to Islam are quoted as saying that "we are missing taraweeh prayers owing to these battles."

The authentic hadith do mention the Prophet, pbuh, praying extra prayers after Isha' during Ramadan THREE times. When he noticed that people were gathering to make it into a congregational prayer with him, he stopped.

Now look at our ummah's condition: When Bush bombed Afghanistan in 2001 during Ramadan, even General Musharraf the traitor was worried that Pakistani Muslims would be riled up. However, nothing happened because Pakistanis were busy praying 22 rakats of taraweeh prayers [Hanafi fiqh]. Bush kept on bombing, secure in the religious immunization of Pakistan.

The same happened with the bombing of Fallujah in Iraq during Ramadan which reached its peak during laylatul qadr, the holiest night in Ramadan. The Iraqi imams used the loudspeakers of the mosques in Fallujah to call the people to jihad, not to taraweeh. The Iraqis fought to the bitter end in Fallujah. The rest of the Muslim world did not respond. They were busy praying taraweehs.

Look at Somalia today. Almost four million Somalis are homeless. Nearly 400,000 children are facing death through malnutrition and disease. Should we be praying taraweehs or should we be mobilizing humanitarian support for the Somalis?

The way Muslims eat during iftar after each fast is a shame and a disgrace. Huge quantities of food and drink are guzzled. What kind of Islam is this? Even those who do not carry out obligatory [fard] prayers are busy praying taraweeh. The Prophet, pbuh, and the sahaba, kept awake during the day in Ramadan. We sleep during the day and pray taraweeh at night!

"...Among the proprieties of fasting is that the person should not sleep much during the day but rather stay up so that he might feel the pangs of hunger and flames of thirst and become conscious of the weakness of the flesh, with the result that one's heart would be cleansed and purified." [Imam Ghazzali's kitab Israr al-Saum, translated by Faris.



Muslims read or listen to the Qur'an all Ramadan but their lives don't change. Why? Please scroll down to important article by Sis. Asma Saiyed.



The Myth of a Judeo-Christian Tradition
New Dawn Magazine http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4803.htm ...

Since the end of the Second World War we have been bombarded from all sides with references to the Western world's "Judeo-Christian religion," and "our Judeo-Christian heritage." We are told by both church leaders and scholars that our society is based on a supposed "Judeo-Christian tradition." ... Yet such a decidedly Christian Zionist outlook is to say the least, wildly simplistic and profoundly ahistoriccal ... "Judeo-Christianity" should be seen for what it is - another secular twentieth century fraud, manufactured for narrow political ends, that is supremely disrespectful to all true believers.


World Food Program in Somalia. Angel of Mercy or Angel of Death?
By Thomas Mountain [from Eritrea]
The World Food Program (WFP), one of the U.N.'s biggest aid agencies, has a very nasty history in Somalia. Back in 2006 just as Somali farmers brought their grain harvest to market, the WFP began the distribution of its entire years grain aid for Somalia. With thousands of tons of free grain available Somali farmers found it almost impossible to sell their harvest and faced disaster.

Thousands of angry Somali farmers gathered at WFP distribution centers across Somalia to protest, sometimes violently. In an attempt to calm matters the WFP promised an investigation which in due course announced that yes the WFP had done the Somali farmers wrong and promised they wouldn't do it again. Then in 2007 just as the Somali grain harvest began to arrive in local markets the WFP once again distributed its entire years grain aid, only this time with the Ethiopian army there to protect it. With a four year long on and off again drought since afflicting most of Somalia you could say the WFP helped put the nail in the coffin of Somali agriculture.

Small wonder then why the Somali resistance, "The Youth", Al Shabab, has since kicked the WFP out of most of southern Somalia that they control. It was only a couple of months ago that the WFP had cut by 70 per cent the minimum survival food rations for the one million or more Somali refugees it had been feeding due to a "funding shortfall," yet today they would have us believe that they are desperately concerned for the survival of the Somali people suffering from the drought.

The WFP is one of the very few aid agencies allowed to operate in the Ogaden next door to Somalia in Ethiopia. They run a few "show case" distribution centers and have provided little or no aid for four years to over 90 per cent of the Ogaden suffering from "The Great Horn of Africa Drought", the worst in 60 years. This is also the area where the Ethiopian government is fighting a decade long counterinsurgency against the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).

The WFP's cooperation in withholding food aid from the areas where the guerilla fighters operate is part of a classic counterinsurgency strategy, "if you can't catch the fish, drain the lake". A couple of months ago a WFP team in the Ogaden was returning to their base and made the mistake of taking a short cut off of the Ethiopian-approved travel routes and came across an Ethiopian paramilitary unit carrying out their everyday practice of burning, looting, murder and mayhem in a village accused of being supporters of the ONLF. Apparently they tried to turn around but it was too late and the Ethiopian death squad opened fire, killing some of the WFP team and wounding the others. The wounded were trucked off to the local Ethiopian garrison town and thrown into the prison there.

Almost at once the Ethiopians announced that ONLF "terrorists" had "ambushed" the WFP team, "murdered" some, taken the rest "hostages" and that the Ethiopian military was in hot pursuit. Two days later the ONLF launched an attack on the military base and prison holding the WFP captives and freed them and the other political prisoners detained there. The Ethiopian military immediately brought in helicopter gun ships to pursue the ONLF and the freed prisoners but were unsuccessful and the WFP staff managed to make it to safety. The ONLF subsequently delivered the freed hostages to the WFP expecting the truth of the incident to be told and the real criminals to be exposed.

To this day the WFP has remained silent about the details of the incident and has not condemned the murder of their staff by the Ethiopian paramilitary death squads. The freed staff's families live in areas controlled by the Ethiopians. The message to many burnt villages, to many slaughtered families, keep ones mouth shut or your loved ones will meet the same fate. How would the world even know if you spoke out and your family was murdered, the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and just about all the other aid agencies besides the WFP having been kicked out of the Ogaden. End of story.

While some 10 million Somalis living in the Ogaden in Ethiopia are the victims of a drought and food aid blockade, the WFP remains silent, complicit in genocide.

World Food Program, angel of mercy or angel of death? You be the judge.



Thomas C. Mountain is the only independent western journalist in the Horn of Africa, living in and reporting from Eritrea since 2006.


Muslims and the Qur'an

The REAL recitation
By Asma bint Shameem [Houston, Texas]

We read it for barakah.
We read it when our close ones die and when we move into a new house.
In fact some of us compete with others to see who can read quicker than everyone else and who can finish faster! Why, just this past Ramadhan, they read it 5 times over!
And yet....do we ever wonder why nothing in us has changed.....why our relationship with Allaah has not improved?
Why is it that our hearts are still unmoved......our lives still unaffected.... our souls still untouched?

But, wait a second....isn't the Qur'aan supposed to be a mercy and a healing for mankind?
It is. Allaah said so. And you know it.

Yet, in spite of reading the Qur'aan, we are still dealing with interest, we are still not wearing the hijaab, we are still at that same old gas station.....still selling that same old beer and lotto. We are still the same as we were a year ago.....or 5 years ago...or even ten years ago.

Ever wonder WHY........?

Allaah says if He were to send down the Qur'aan upon a mountain, it wouldn't be able to bear it and it would humble itself and crumble because of the fear of Allaah.
"Had We sent down this Qur'aan on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder out of fear of Allaah. Such are the parables that We put forward to mankind that they may reflect." [Surah al-Hashr:21]

Then what's wrong ?? Why are we so???
Obviously, the problem is not with the Qur'aan. Actually, the problem is with us.
The problem is that we've never really read the Qur'aan with understanding. In fact, if we've ever read the Qur'aan, we've read it with closed eyes.

I know many people who've read the Qur'aan many times, cover to cover. Yet they did not understand one single word they read!
Do you think that is the purpose of sending down the Qur'aan from above the seven heavens?

"(This is a) Book that We have sent down to you, full of blessings, so that they may ponder over its aayaat, and that those of understanding may remember." [Surah Saad:29]

Sure, I know the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa-Sallam) said that we will be rewarded for reading the Qur'aan, whether we understand it or not , but just reading it is not enough and, if you really think about it, of not much use to us, unless we understand it and implement it in our lives.
The Sahaabah would not go beyond ten Aayaat until they had learnt them and understood the knowledge within them and implemented them in their lives.
And where are we compared to that??

When our kids are young, we lay SO much emphasis on them finishing the reading of the Qur'aan one time. When they are done, what do we do? We celebrate their 'Ameen' (their finishing the reading of the Qur'aan), but then what??
Where do we go from there?? Did we ask them to keep up with the reading??
Did we explain the meanings of this Glorious Book of Allaah to them??
Do they even know what it means??
And the real question is......
DO WE EVEN KNOW WHAT IT MEANS???

And then we wonder why there are so many problems in our lives...why our kids are not in our control....why there is no peace and barakah in our selves!!!!

"O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (the Qur'aan), and a healing for that in your breasts, a guidance and a mercy for the believers." (10:57)


And then there are the 'Huffaadh', people who have memorized the Book of Allaah by heart, so much so that they don't miss a single word. Yet when you look at their lives, they are far, far away from the teachings of the very Book they have memorized!

Al-Hasan al-Basree says about such Huffaadh "... one of them says, 'I recited the whole Qur'aan and did not miss out a single letter.' and by Allaah, he missed out the whole of the Qur'aan! No Qur'aan is seen in his character or deeds! By Allaah, these are not reciters or scholars, they are not wise nor pious. Whenever the reciters are of this type, may Allaah not increase their like amongst the people!"

Subhaan Allaah!!!!
Unless we read the Qur'aan with understanding, pondering over its Aayaat, reflecting on its true message and putting it into practice, we are missing the real essence of the purpose of sending down this Magnificent Book.
"Do they not then contemplate on the Qur'aan, or are there locks upon their hearts?" [Surah Muhammad:24]

Remember, that the true servant of Allaah never ceases from reflecting on the Book of Allaah. And there, his heart bears witness to such glorious knowledge that it increase his eemaan and strengthens it. However, this increase of eemaan does not happen unless he concentrates on understanding the Qur'aan, applying it and acting by it, as many people who read the Qur'aan will find it to be their opponent on the Day of Judgment.
The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa-Sallam) said:
"Verily, Allaah raises up a people with this Book and He abases others." [Muslim]
And he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa-Sallam) also said:
"the Qur'aan is either a proof for you or against you." [Muslim]

So read the Qur'aan with ease and tranquility, pondering over the words, reflecting on its meanings, and then apply it in your lives.
Don't say to yourself...."When am I going to finish this Surah?"
Instead, ask yourself.....
"When will I start obeying the orders of Allaah contained in the Qur'aan?"
"When will I pay heed to the admonitions contained within what I just read?

The Qur'aan is not just for the Ulama. It is for everyone.....including you and me. If we are really serious about our meeting with Allaah, we need to ask ourselves these tough questions.....
Have we read and understood the Qur'aan at least once in our lifetime?
What is our age now?
Do we really know and understand the true message of this Holy Book that changed the lives of so many in the past? Do we really.....???

"Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allaah's reminder (the Qur'aan) and of the Truth that has been revealed....." [al-Hadeed:16]

2011-08-13 Sat 18:48:46 cdt
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