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Dr Kaukab Siddique | Editor-in-Chief Rabi' al-thani 17, 1428/ May 5, 2007 #35


Jamaat al-Muslimeen News [4 items only]
P.O. Box 10881
Baltimore, MD 21234

Outreach in Newark, Delaware: May 4, 2007

Jamaat al-Muslimeen distributed literature after Juma' about the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall's invitation to Madeleine Albright and Salman Rushdie, as well a gang leader's confession that he shot the two policemen for which Imam Jamil al-Amin was convicted and sentenced falsely.

More than 300 people attend the Islamic center of Newark and we did not have enough literature for all of them. This is a highly de-politicized Masjid owing to control by "Muslim Brotherhood" ISNA-CAIR types. The level of ignorance can be gauged from the fact that many of the people here had never heard of Imam Jamil. We interviewed people as we gave out papers.


THE ROLE of SIRAJ WAHHAJ in Muslim Fundraising

The Islamic Center of Newark, DE, has invited Siraj Wahhaj [ISNA-man] to give one of his hot fund raising speeches: [ Something like "donate for the masjid now: tomorrow you will be dead!"] so the "leaders" can extract funds from this well-to-do community.
Muslims in America never get to donate for the Islamic struggle. Siraj Wahhaj and others like him keep extracting funds to add to mosque parking lots, buildings and cemeteries. Siraj Wahhaj is up to no good: helping the rich to grow richer. "Muslim Brotherhood"-ISNA-CAIR type masjids supported by Siraj Wahhaj-types have khutbas which can put one to sleep.
Siraj Wahhaj types are a big part of the reason why there is no money for:

Attorneys to fight the cases of the oppressed.
Families of Muslims in prison.
Half-way-facilities for those coming out of prisons.
Women who embrace Islam and lose family support.
Large scale dawah.
Development of small independent masjids
The children of Africa.

Where is the money? It has gone to million dollar mosques for congregations of 300 to 500 people, followed by million dollar parking lots for 300 cars, followed by million dollar schools for a handful of students who mostly learn that good Muslims wave the American flag.


Meyerhoff Orchestra on Defensive: Says Villa Julie College is Responsible
Madeleine Albright and Salman Rushdie Invited


May 2, May 3. The Jewish Meyerhoff Orchestra was very defensive when we called. Looks like Muslims have been protesting after we published info on them. The Meyerhoff has taken the line that it is only "renting the space" for the program but is not responsible for inviting Rushdie and Albright. Meyerhoff says the invitations went from Villa Julie College. Please call these numbers in Villa Julie College (Baltimore):

(410) 486-1575 talk to Cheryl Sunderland (This is the President's office.)

(443) 352-4307 (ask about the program for invited guests.)

Always be polite and non-threatening but firm and clear.
Remember the children of Iraq murdered by Albright and the honor of the Prophet, pbuh, besmirched by Rushdie. Jews cannot be our friends if they continue inviting such trash.


Desperate Attempt to Stop Spread of Islam in the Prison System

Br. Sufu Hashim reports that the authorities are taking extreme steps to stop the spread of Islam in 18 prisons in the state of Connecticut. The authorities have moved against five Muslim chaplains. Br. Hashim too was cut off. Various tricks are used to make the lives of Muslim chaplains difficult.

Under the law, people of various religions have the right to chaplains of their own faith, for understanding and support. The government is now panicking that Islam is spreading. Even docile chaplains like those of the W.D. Muhammad group have not been able to stop genuine Islam from spreading. So now the move is to phase out Muslim chaplains.


Interview with Abdur Rasheed Ghazi

Lal Masjid [Islamabad] Leader Puts Life on Line to Support Hafsa Women's Struggle

1% Elites Own & buy-sell Pakistan: Shariah Must be Implemented for Change

[Once again New Trend is the first U.S. publication to investigate what is happening in Pakistan DIRECTLY. For background, readers should remember the uprising of the Islamic women of Jamia Hafsa, the biggest women's university in Pakistan. The Hafsa women defied the police and exposed two major corruptions of the Musharraf regime:
1. The demolition of mosques.
2. The activities of a procuress who supplied women to Musharraf's officials.

See New Trend's two interviews with Umm Hasan, Principal of Jamia Hafsa, on our web site: NewTrendMag.org/ntma1123.htm

As the Hafsa women came out with lathis [long staves] in their hands, the Musharraf regime prepared a Special Services military force to enter Jamia Hafsa and re-enact on a grand scale the state-terror against women in which it has indulged twice previously. Lal Masjid, which is in the same complex as Hafsa, challenged Musharraf. Hundreds of men from all over Pakistan flocked to the mosque, ready to give their lives to defend the Hafsa women in case Musharraf attacked. The leadership of Lal Masjid, Maulana Abdul Aziz and his brother Abdur Rasheed Ghazi, warned Musharraf that force will be met with force. One statement told the military that it would face martyrdom operators.

At that, the bloodthirsty general drew back. A bloodbath of Islamic women and men in Islamabad would have led to universal revulsion with all kinds of consequences. Since then Musharraf's men have been trying diplomacy and tactics to isolate both Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid.]

New Trend's interview was held on April 28 with a follow up on May 3, 2007

New Trend: Abdur Rasheed Ghazi sahib! Asalamu alaikum. I have published two interviews with Sis. Umm Hasan of Jamia Hafsa. I noticed in the Pakistani media that you support the daughters of Islam. Your outspoken commitment to the uprising of the young women has brought you support from all over Pakistan. But now I notice that a leading politician linked to Musharraf, Choudhury Shujaat Hussain, visited you. After visiting you, he announced that the problem has been solved and the two of you have agreed. This is disappointing if we know that Choudhury Shujaat is the leader of the political party fabricated by the General.

Abdur Rasheed Ghazi: walaikum asalam. Let me address that. Choudhury Shujaat came here. We talked and I gave him our demands. Number one is that the government must rebuild the mosques it demolished and re-build them on their original sites.....

New Trend: But Ghazi sahib, Choudhury Shujaat is a master politician. You are no match for him in gamesmanship.....

Abdur Rasheed Ghazi: Please let me continue. Along with our demand for the re-building of the masjids, I told him that the sources of immorality, corruption and the exploitation of women must be closed down...

NT: Okay!

ARG: In addition, I told him that shariah [Islamic Law] must be implemented in Pakistan and we have to set an early time limit for its implementation.

NT: Are you telling me that Choudhury Shujaat agreed to the implementation of Islamic Law [shariah] in Pakistan? That's not honest of him!

ARG: He had no choice! You see, Pakistan is ideologically and constitutionally obliged to implement Islamic Law. He had to say yes, for the sake of his own credibility! We also told him that the regime must stop all its activities against Jamia Hafsa. If the regime thinks we are doing something illegal in Jamia Hafsa, bring the evidence. So what could he say?

NT: Okay, now I understand. The media published only his viewpoint without stating your response. Is this Choudhury Shujaat a big fish in Pakistan?

ARG: He has been Prime Minister, though very briefly, and very popular with pro-government factions.

NT: What is Lal Masjid's agenda? Why are you taking such big risks, defying Musharraf in his own citadel of "Islamabad?" What do you consider the central issue in Pakistan?

ARG: The main problem is that an elite 1% is ruling the remaining 99%. The 99% of our people have no rights. Millions are ground into the dust without basic facilities. Misery, dirt, lack of health facilities is the lot of our people across the country. The very few have everything. The great majority have to fight over the smallest benefits.

NT: How will you face the government?

ARG: We want to use peaceful means, but we have countrywide support and we will not back down.

NT: Why is Ejazul Haq [former President Zia's son] after you? He has been issuing statements against you. What's his position in the government?

ARG: He is the minister of Religious Affairs!

NT: La haula wala quwwat!

ARG: The government is making issues and accusations about Jamia Hafsa which were never made in the last ten years. Clever harassment is going on. An office has been opened right in front of the gate of Jamia Hafsa. We asked, is it the right thing to do to open an office only a few feet from where our daughters live?

NT: I am puzzled. You are a "maulana" and you are taking great risks to support the rights of women. How come?

ARG: Look at the early history of Islam and you'll get the answer.

NT: Tell me about yourself. Where are you originally from?

ARG: From Baluchistan, the Mazari tribe. Very poor. We haven't made any worldly accumulation of goods for ourselves. I was born in 1964. We grew up in Islamabad. My father was the first khateeb of Lal Masjid. He was offered membership in the Shoora which was formulated by General Zia ul-Haq. He refused. He said that he would have accepted if the Shoora was a real shoora but it was only a rubber stamp for Zia's policies.

NT: You speak both Urdu and English well. Where did you get your education.

ARG: I also speak Arabic and Baluchi. I got my M.Sc from Quaid-e-Azam University [Islamabad] in 1988.

NT: I have heard there is something very controversial about you and your brother Maulana Abdul Aziz owing to which the government hates you. What is it?

ARG: Maulana Abdul Aziz gave the fatwa that it is not permissible under Islam to say janaza prayers for the Pakistani soldiers who died in the fighting against the forces of Islam in Waziristan.

NT: No wonder!

Follow up on May 3:

NT: I have read in a Pakistani newspaper that Ejazul Haq [Musharraf's Minister of Religion] went to Arabia and got the IMAM of the KA'ABA to give a statement against you.

ARG: Yes. It is understandable. If someone tells the Imam of the Ka'aba that we have illegally taken the land on which Jamia Hafsa is built, he would say that such an action is wrong. We say, let us bring our evidence and let Ejazul Haq bring his, and then a decision can be arrived at.

NT: If you don't mind my saying so, the Imam of the Ka'aba is only an appointee of the Saudi regime.

ARG: Yes...

NT: The Imam of Ka'aba also objected to the actions of the young women in Jamia Hafsa.

ARG: Again the evidence shows otherwise. Yesterday we invited Anisa Tahir Khaili, State Information Minister, who has criticized the young women, to visit the university. She came and visited and was very satisfied with her visit. She said that she found the young women imbued with the spirit of Islam and thoroughly devoted to the mission of Muhammad, pbuh.

NT: Why is Ejazul Haq so active against you that he went to "Saudi" Arabia to undercut you? You know many Pakistanis are often very impressed by the Imam of Ka'aba. They don't realize that he has no Islamic authenticity. Just a government appointee.

ARG: He was probably instructed by the ISI [Pakistan's top intelligence service] to do so. It won't work. We have support and Islamic authenticity.

NT: Any latest developments we should know about?

ARG: The government has closed down our web site...

NT: But I just visited it!

ARG: It is under a system which can be shut down locally and cannot be seen in Pakistan though it can be see overseas.

NT: Ms. Benazir Bhutto has given some statements against you. Quite bogus but full of accusations and innuendo which U.S. papers have published.

ARG: Yes, I have seen her statements and I have given a full reply which has been published in numerous Pakistani papers including Nawa-e-Waqt, Ausaf and Ummat.

NT: Thank you! Jazakallah khair.


Conversion to Islam: Litvinenko Gave his Life to Uncover Chechen Tragedy

Two days before his death, Litvinenko, a disenchanted Russian Orthodox Christian, informed his father that he had converted to Islam: the actual conversion happened at a point during his sickness but before he knew he was going to die Akhmed Zakayev, Foreign Minister of Chechen government-in-exile who lived next door to Mr. Litvinenko and considered him "as a brother," said: "He was read to from the Qur'an the day before he died and had told his wife and family that he wanted to be buried in accordance with Muslim tradition." According to Vladimir Bukovsky, Litvinenko accepted Islam mostly to show his solidarity with Chechen people, who he felt were brutally oppressed by Russians. Before his burial, prayers were said for Litvinenko at London Central Mosque. Litvinenko's reported conversion to Islam and the related wish for Muslim funeral rites were recognized by his father. However, his widow, Marina, as well as his close friend (and press spokesman during his illness), Alexander Goldfarb, preferred a non-denominational ceremony.


Checking on Darfur

Historic African American Press Delegation visits Sudan


By Jehron Muhammad

Akbar Muhammad, founder of Youth 4 Africa Foundation realized the importance of seizing this opportunity and contacted James Mtume, Co-Host of Open Line talk radio to solicit his help in organizing members of the African American Press to travel to the Sudan and visit Darfur.

This event was a historical trip and the first of its kind for an African American press delegation to travel on a fact finding mission to support what the media in the west has been saying about Two months ago during a live feed to thousands who attended the Nation of Islam's Annual Savior's Day Convention President of The Republic of Sudan, Omar El-Bashir extended a special invitation to those interested in visiting Sudan. The invitation was extended through Akbar Muhammad to give individuals the opportunity to ask hard questions about Genocide in the Sudan. The Sudanese government insists that the horror stories we hear in the media are lies and propaganda contrived by special interest groups in America.

Sudan or dispute the lies that are being told to millions of Americans about the current crises in Sudan, especially Darfur.

Through the efforts of Mr. Muhammad this press delegation met with Ministers of Government in Khartoum, visited IDP camps (internally displaced people) in Darfur, and talked with people in the marketplace, traveled to remote areas in Sudan to ask the pertinent questions. Both BET and TV-One had a one on one exclusive interview with President Omar El-Bashir. His Excellency encouraged the media to feel free to go anywhere in Sudan and talk to anyone. He assured them they would find nothing to support the atrocities that are being charged by the media in the west.

It was not long ago that slavery in Sudan was a hot issue but the inability of the media to substantiate chattel slavery in Sudan was replaced by the issue of atrocities allegedly being committed with the backing of the Sudanese government in Darfur. This issue has been pitched to the American people with a special focus in the Black community about Arabs killing Black people. Could it be because Islam is the fasting growing religion in the world especially in the Black Community?

According to several European publications and a small article found in the Washington Post, the issue of slavery in Sudan was more fraud than reality. So ridiculous was the perpetuators false campaign against Sudan, that the world's oldest human rights organization Anti-Slavery International warned the United Nations Commission on Human Rights that: "Unless accurately reported, the issue can become a tool for indiscriminate and wholly undeserved prejudice against Arabs and Muslims. (We) are worried that some media reports of "slave markets," stocked by Arab slave traders – which (we) consider distorted reality – fuel such prejudice."

Just as suddenly as the issue of slavery in Sudan appeared and then disappeared, the only distorted reality remaining was Arab and or Muslim atrocities against Black Africans. When we traveled in Sudan we found that the lightest Arab is darker than most African Americans and when we enquired about why they're called Arab, were told simply "some of us are Arab because we speak Arabic."

So what is the truth concerning atrocities being committed in Darfur? This is a region that is 100 percent Muslims, where Idriss Deby, President of Chad and many Chadian citizens share the same tribal heritage of the people of Darfur. In addition this tribal group called Zagawa based in Chad and Darfur are members of cross border militia groups invading Darfur.

So who are its perpetrators, and the facts remaining about the fairly recent implementation of a coalition government between the so-called Arab North and the Black African South and why so little has been reported?

These and other questions were being asked by an African American press delegation that went to Sudan. The group according to Akbar Muhammad, leader of the press delegation and coordinator of the tour should report what is really happening in Darfur. "If what they are saying is true about the government of Sudan then report it back to the American public and if what they are saying about Arabs killing Black Africans, raping their women, killing their children, pushing Black Africans off their land then by all means report that but if none of this is true then we should report what we find."

The press delegation included several African American publications, including the Final Call, Philadelphia New Observer, Trumpet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television, BET.com , TV-One and New York's KISS FM radio.

James Mtume co-host of Open Line on 98.7 KISS-FM has already broadcast live from Sudan. According to Mtume, "On Sunday we gave our first historic broadcast from Khartoum." Mtume whose weekly show reaches over 1.5 million listeners believes "the truth is always (somewhere) in the middle." Mtume who helped coordinate the fact finding mission and is the son of famed Jazz musician Jimmy Heath said, "The fact is Black media has never come to Sudan. How can we claim a connection with Africa and not investigate the situation in Sudan for ourselves. CNN, ABC, NBC should not be the only vein through which our information is pumped. It is our responsibility as media people and politicians to come see and decide for ourselves."

To schedule Akbar Muhammad to speak about doing business in Africa or the crises in Sudan at your event, seminar, school or university, you may contact him at Africanliteracy@msn.com or 773-820-0297.


Letter: Re: Zaid Shakir's Attack on Saddam Hussain [Shaheed]

From a very young Iranian brother

Dear Mr. Kaukab Siddique, As-Salaam-Alaikum I was very much saddened to see your defence of Saddam Hussein. I have recently begun reading your magazine, and I was glad to see your mission statement in the beginning: "New Trend is against racism, classism, gender superiority, Zionism and Imperialism." What you fail to mention is that Saddam Hussein was a racist himself. His support for Palestine and his disgust for the Shias in Iraq was motivated by his pro-Arab beliefs and anti-Persian values.

You list so many reasons as to why Saddam Hussein was in fact a hero, yet you forget to mention how many Kurdish and Christian villages had undergone ethnic cleansing during Saddam's rule. The "collective punishment" that he employed against the Shias and Kurds in many ways resembled what Israel is currently doing to Palestine, where hundreds and thousands are made to suffer for the actions of a few.

You forget to mention that with him was found $750,000 dollars in the hole in Tikrit that he was hiding in. How meager indeed were his possessions! Also, like a jackal, he did not fight back with his pistol and instead he gave up without a fight to the American forces that found him.

Finally, I do not know how he emerged into the glory of Islam, when he did not even seek forgiveness for his sins. I pray that you, brother Siddique, and all my brothers realize that Saddam was a dictator who killed and not a martyr who fought. Also, I hope you adopt a more moderate position on this issue, and many others, where you are able to criticize tyranny and oppression where ever it occurs.

"Taftid" [Maryland]


[Editor's comment: Dear "taftid" I was on the side of Iran when the Islamic revolution occurred. I interviewed Imam Khomeini twice, once in Qum and once in Tehran. Hopes were high then that he would unite Shias and Sunnis. I hated Saddam and did all I could to condemn Saddam for his invasion of Iran. I visited the frontlines of the battlefield and we came under attack by one of Saddam's planes.

Both Saddam and Iran changed. Saddam became more and more independent, defied America, embraced Islam and put Allahu Akbar on the Iraqi flag. Iran changed back into nationalism and sectarianism.

Perhaps you are not aware that Iran supported the U.S. sanctions on Iraq in which a million Iraqis, many of them children, died. Gradually Iran became very anti-Islam. It supported the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan and armed the anti-Taliban forces.

Saddam's opposition to Iraqi Shi'as had nothing to do with being anti-Shia. Some Shi'as, not all, rose in armed revolt with support from the United States. Many Shi'as, however, supported Saddam, as can be seen in earlier refusal to join Iran [which is true even now]. Shi'as in Iraq are not Persian; they are Arabs but some groups among them were incited successfully by Iran to try and overthrow Saddam.

Not ALL Kurds, but two groups among Kurds, the PUK and the KDP, were misled first by the Shah of Iran to rise up and then by the U.S. They were suppressed by Saddam. Many of the PUK people live in Israel. There are many Islamic Kurds who were not suppressed by Saddam. Today they are fighting the U.S.

Once he embraced Islam, Saddam's behavior changed. He gave GENERAL AMNESTY to all prisoners and released them all on one day. He fought for Islam and died for Islam. His captivity and the way he faced his murder show him as a man of the highest Islamic qualities who feared Allah Alone.

Don't taunt him about $750,000. That was less than ONE HOUR's income of oil rich Iraq. [The U.S. spends $2 billion every week to occupy Iraq.] Saddam was using whatever money he had to organize the resistance. Even in that hole, he kept accounts of every dollar that was spent. He might well have given his life, but some kind of gas was used to put him out of action.

Dear young brother, if all the Zionist Jews in the world oppose a Muslim and want him to be killed, there must be some good in him. Do not denigrate a martyr. That is haram in Islam, and that's why I had to take Zaid Shakir to task.


Letter: Re: Zaid Shakir and Saddam Hussain: An Angry Letter

Peace
First of all I don't know where you got my email address to send me this email, as I don't know who you are and why you are sending me this email. I have only one advice for you. Don't ever compare Saddam Hussain to Omra Ibn al -Khattab or Khalid Ibn Walid (radiallahu anhum). It's shameful and distasteful. Also, I think you need to increase your knowledge of the Deen before giving Fatwa's. There is a big difference when a non-Muslim commits a crime and then becomes a Muslim which was the case of the Sahaba's you mentioned. the wrong that they committed was before their Islam and Allah forgaves all their sins once they become Muslims. As for Saddam he was born a Muslim and claimed that he was Muslim (A Marxist Muslim). Even if he realized his mistakes of killing millions of people, from Kurds to Shia's, and during the Iran Iraq war, he has to make Touba. Touba is not guaranteed to be accepted, unlike becoming Muslim. So no comparison of Saddam with any of the righteous Sahaba please.

You should increase your knowledge of the English Language, because Imam Zaid never said he is happy that they hanged him on the day of Eid...if you read his statement again, and reflect upon what he said you will know that he is saying that they shouldn't have hanged him on the day of Eid.

At the end the Prophet sallalahu alaihi wassalaam said to give 70 excuses for your brother, and you are accusing Imam Zaid without any proof.

please don't write to me, as I don't have time to waste with people who slander the Muslim scholars because they have communist, or Marxist understanding of Islam such as Saddam did.

Fakhr Razi


Editor's Comment: Reader Fakhr Razi should note that Zaid Shakir has not answered my criticism of his slanderous and anti-Islamic attack on President Saddam Hussain [Shaheed.] I know it's easy to abuse the martyr in America because the entire Zionist system is involved in this abusive activity.
In Islam, references to the Sahaba, r.a., are very relevant, not because anyone can equal them but because their lives give us a point of reference which is the most important reference in Islam. Khalid ibn al-Waleed, r.a., actually killed the Sahaba, r.a., of the Prophet, pbuh, yet he was forgiven when he embraced Islam. When someone embraces Islam, as Saddam did in 1991, we must NEVER talk about what he did in his life before Islam.
The people whom Saddam killed were not sahaba, r.a., but rebels supported by forces trying to subvert and destroy a sovereign state. Today these rebels have achieved power on the backs of U.S. tanks. Look at the havoc they are wreaking. More than 650,000 Iraqis have been killed. The Shia rebels and the Kurdish rebels are complicit in this mass murder which has been documented by Lancet Study Group.
You refer to "millions" killed by Saddam. Such exaggerations have no relevance to reality. They are the product of Zionist propaganda. Saddam could not have killed "millions" even if he had tried to simply because he did not have the firepower to do so.
Did you see the "trial" of Saddam Hussain? The U.S. and the Shi'a rebels combined had a problem to prove that their allegations about Saddam killing 118 Shi'as in Dujail were true. Remember, this was an attempt by the Shi'as of Dujail to kill Saddam.
Zaid Shakir is a very mediocre person, a good opportunist, a crowd pleaser. He lied about Saddam. Shakir has much to answer for because he is involved in this "American Islam" scam which is the U.S. version of Qadianism, a form of heretical thinking which strikes at the UMMAH concept of Islam.
As for learning English, here is what Shakir wrote:
"I'm not one of these people who's going to say Saddam shouldn't have been killed on Eid (an Islamic holiday)."
Let me know what else can it mean other than what is says. Shakir has revealed himself in his true colors. Shakir has insulted a martyr, the Lion of Iraq. If Shakir does not apologize to the ummah of Islam, we'll have to examine his "American Islam" some more.

Two technical points: Tawba is between Allah and the Creator. No one's certificate is needed.
Where did we get your email address? I really don't know. We get thousands from readers.

2007-05-06 Sun 10:19:26 cdt
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