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Dr Kaukab Siddique | Editor-in-Chief Sha'ban 26,1430/ August 18, 2009, # 40

Warning about Israeli dates for Ramadan: Scroll all the way down.

This could only be published in New Trend. Believe it or not, Hamas attacked a mosque on August 14, Juma', where an imam was proclaiming Islamic rule and calling for end to cease fire with Israel. What is the alarming significance of this atrocity and what does it say about Hamas' decline as a Muslim group? Powerful analysis by Imam Badi Ali. Please scroll way down. It's a MUST read!

Jamaat al-Muslimeen Press Release: "Elections" in Afghanistan under NATO military Occupation have no Validity

August 7-18, 2009: NATO launched military offensives in Afghanistan to hold "elections." Jet fighters and helicopters are protecting NATO tank and other armored columns to create "space" in which "elections" can be held. The Afghan people cannot be fooled by such bogus attempts to create legitimacy for the agents of imperialism and zionism. We urge President Obama not to besmirch himself with such illegal activities which would have put Hitler and Stalin to shame. The allies during World War II would not accept the Vichy regime in unoccupied France although it had not been installed by German tanks but merely cooperated with Germany. It is unthinkable that the Afghan people will accept this charade of elections being imposed by NATO.
Muslims should note that the Taliban have no air force, no tanks, no artillery, no helicopters and yet are successfully resisting NATO's occupation forces owing to the public grassroots support for Islamic resistance. NATO has to "capture" every village to be able to claim victory.
For more information contact Dr. Kaukab Siddique at: ksidd37398@aol.com

For War News from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Gaza please scroll way down.

Nigerian Troops Crack down on Islamic group opposed to corruption, drunkenness and prostitution.

NIGERIA latest: August 15, 2009: A very large Nigerian military force surrounded an Islamic community called Darul Islam in Mokwa, Niger state [not to be confused with the country called Niger]. They arrested hundreds of unarmed Muslims merely on the basis of rumors that they are "outsiders," were suppressing women, were against education and were setting up an Islamic state linked to al-Qaida! Even the BBC wouldn't buy that story. Here is what it reported:

"Amrul Bashir Abdullahi, the leader of Darul Islam originally from the northern state of Kano, said after being detained that he had lived in Mokwa for 17 years.
"We are not against Western education as we are being accused, but we have our own belief which is not in any way an infringement of the state authorities," Abdullahi said.
"We decided to create a camp for ourselves outside the community because of the problems in the larger society. These are problems of corruption, drunkenness, prostitution and so on which Allah forbids."
New Trend comment: Nigerians are sacrificing much for Islam, but the poor and the downtrodden need to unite if they are to face an administration linked to Israel and the western powers.

Puntland [North of Somalia]: August 13, 2009: Five Pakistani preachers of Islam from Tablighi Jamaat were murdered in cold blood by gunmen who escaped. Tablighi Jamaat is a non-political movement but Puntland is under pro-western puppet regime and the hired gunmen apparently killed the preachers because they had beards and caps and were seen as al-Qaida! Islamic groups up and down the east coast of Africa have condemned the murders.
Al-Shabab, which now controls most of Somalia proper, said that killing of religious personalities in unknown in the area in spite of years of fighting and looks like an anti-Islam foreign hand is involved.

Some final Summer offerings: Get These before you get busy again. [2 items]

Israeli Exceptionalism: The Destabilizing Logic of Zionism by M. Shahid Alam
Pre-order from Amazon.com before it appears in November.

"It competently penetrates, as well as demystifies, one of the most well packaged ideological myths of our times - Israel as a benevolent, civilized, moral national project .....This book is truly a sobering analysis for all those who believe in this myth." Khaldoun Samman, Director, Islamic civilization program at Macalester College.
[Alam is originally from Bangladesh and is known for his shredding criticism of Bernard Lewis and Tom Friedman, etc.]

Hitler's Place in History


David Irving and Mark Weber
DVD video disc. 135 mins. $15.95

http://www.ihrstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=240

Two memorable talks by specialists of the Third Reich and World War II, at an IHR meeting. British historian Irving reviews fraudulent historical documents that have been cited for years by "conformist" historians. Weber explains that even supposedly authoritative history books provide a grotesquely unbalanced view of Hitler and his regime, and that outright lies about Hitler are widespread and unchallenged.

O Canada!
Jewish Community Leader Faces Child Porn Charges
CBC (Canada)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2009/05/29/quebec-child--pornography.html

The former regional director of B'nai Brith in Quebec has been charged with possessing child pornography. Bill Surkis appeared Friday at the Montreal courthouse. He had turned himself in to police earlier this month after a police investigation resulted in an arrest warrant issued in his name. Police were notified after a computer repair shop found several questionable video files on Surkis's PC. Surkis brought his computer in to the shop for repairs after it became infected with a virus. He left his post as director of B'nai Brith Quebec two years ago. Surkis was the dean of education at John Abbott College for 22 years. He is also a prominent member of Montreal's Jewish community and was an executive director of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre.

From Imam Badi Ali [North Carolina]

Spotlight # 1: Why is Imam Jamil al-Amin [fromerly Rap Brown] being held in prison year after year in spite of manifest evidence of his innocence? The government knows that his release will give authentic leadership to African-American Muislims and to African Americans in general. Imam Jamil is independent, not in any American party, not linked to any overseas regime, and he practices authentic Islam, the Sunnah of the Prophet, pbuh, in his daily life. He is able to think for himself and rejects the American power structure. Hence it is important that American Muslims unite to press for his release.

Spotlight #2: Our relationships should be based on a common humanity, caring and compassion, not on business interests or what we can gain from someone. We should not keep quiet when we see good in our friends and companions and should express praise and thanks openly. We should celebrate the achievements of our spouses and of every Muslim whose integrity, courage and faith is seen in good deeds.

Spotlight #3: The way you think of the world, the way you perceive your life, your interpretation, is more important than the ongoing series of events. What do you celebrate, what do you enjoy, and why?

Dr. Siddique urges Sunnah [and nothing else] in Ramadan-Eidain.
Da'wah Group in Milwaukee: Working for Peace thru Truth about Islam: Important selection of Literature.

On August 15, 2009 Dr. Kaukab Siddique was invited to speak to a study circle in Milwaukee, Wisconsin [about 90 minutes drive north of Chicago]. A peace group concentrating on reaching out to the non-Muslim people of Milwaukee has taken root in the heart of the city. Owing to the efforts of Prof. Sulayman Kurter and his wife Sis. Havva Kurter, a well organized effort is underway to help Americans understand and embrace Islam. The results are impressive. Among them, the acceptance of Islam by a Hispanic newspaper editor whose paper has a big circulation in the city.

Prof. Kurter and Sis. Havva are an unusual couple. He is Turkish and she is Hispanic. Years back, their young son's Hispanic teacher noticed that he was very different from others. She learned from the child the blessings of not eating pork and staying away from alcohol and cigarettes. After a while, she embraced Islam.

Today the son is a grown man and a distinguished physician and therapist very loyal to Islam. His teacher too married a Muslim and is bringing up an Islam-oriented Hispanic family.

Prof. Kurter has been active in the peace movement and went all the way to Washington to participate in anti-war demonstrations. Inspired by the writings of the great Turkish teacher of Islam, Shaykh Badiuzzaman Nursi, Prof. Kurter and Sis. Havva have brought together a dedicated group to re-print and distribute da'wah literature about Islam both in English and Spanish. These booklets have been mailed to thousands of people interested in Islam all over America. Along with basic teachings of Islam which they distribute are two classics from years back, Jesus, pbuh, in the Qur'an by Sulaiman Mufassir and Malcolm X: Martyr of Islam by Ali Siddiqui.

The August 15 discussion mainly about the sighting of the Crescent was initiated by Prof. Kurter and followed up by comments from a distinguished Muslim scientist from Chicago. Both were very critical of attempts to fix the dates for lunar months without sighting. The scientist pointed out that the anti-Sunnah groups are wrong even on a scientific basis.

Br. Kaukab Siddique's remarks were as follows:

1430th Ramadan - the Month of Blessings and Peace
© Imam Ali Siddiqui
siddiqui@aol.com ; 707-545-5234
California Muslim Institute, 2001 Range Ave, Suite 26
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
2.8 billion Muslims of the world will celebrate the blessed month of Ramadan starting Saturday, August 22, 2009 depending on the sighting of the moon. During this month, healthy Muslim adults will observe fasting during the daylight hours.

Muslim Fasting is a total abstention from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk for 29 or 30 days of the month of Ramadan. In addition, avoiding immoral behavior and anger and showing compassion is part of the requirements of the fasting. The purpose of fasting is manifold. Allah (the God Almighty) mentioned it in the Holy Book of the Muslims, Quran, that the fasting is prescribed for the believers as it was prescribed for the people before them, so that they may acquire self control and God-consciousness (Quran 2:183). Therefore, the purpose of fasting is to develop self-control, God-consciousness, improvement of health by reducing or eliminating impurities from the body, and to become aware of the plight of the poor, hungry, and the sick.

Ramadan is a month of spiritual consciousness and high sense of social responsibility. The fulfillment of one's obligations during this month is rewarded by 70 times. Fasting is one of the 5 pillars of Islam including Announcement of Faith, Salaat (praying 5 times a day), Zakaat (the right of the poor on the wealth of the financially able), Fasting during the month of Ramadan, and Hajj (once a life time pilgrimage to Kaaba). It is an obligation on every adult and healthy Muslim to fast during the month of Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan is also the month in which the Holy Quran was sent down from 7th level of heaven to the 1st level, from where it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a piecemeal basis over a period of 23 years. It is a very joyous occasion for the Muslims of the world. They fast during the day, pray, and read Quran during the part of the night.

There is a special night called the Night of Power, which is mentioned in the Quran (Chapter 97), as a night of peace, mercy, and light. Worshiping during this night is better than the worship of 1,000 months. During this night, Muhammad was chosen by Allah, as the Messenger and Quran was sent to the 1st level of heaven. During this night, Allah (the God Almighty) sends down an army of special angels, under the leadership of Archangel Gabriel, who go to every nook and cranny of the earth to pray for the mercy of Allah (the God Almighty) and salvation of the believers.

Unlike common calendar, which is Solar based, Islamic calendar is Lunar based. It does not mean that Muslims worship moon. It is another way to count days of the month and the year. Like all Islamic months, Ramadan, 9th lunar month, begins after sighting the Crescent, but not the new moon. The probability to see the Crescent for Ramadan is on Friday, August 21, 2009 just after sunset on the western horizon.

The population of Muslims in the US is estimated at 9 million, of which about 2 million lives in California. All healthy Muslim adults including homemakers, school-going kids around the age of 13, factory workers, businessmen, and others among them will be fasting. Your Muslim neighbors will be getting up very early to take their sahoor, a pre-dawn meal before starting their fast. So, don't get alarmed if you hear lot of noise next door. Schoo l staff has to show understanding and consideration towards Muslim students fasting during the month of Ramadan from August 22, 2009 to Sept. 19, 2009. They should be assigned alternate activities instead of strenuous gym activities.

Physicians should also understand that their patients might be fasting. They should prescribe the medicine in a way that they could take it with their pre-dawn or after sunset meals. However, if the patients' life may be in jeopardy, explain it to the patients or seek help from a Muslim Medical Chaplain at a local hospital, (like Imam Ali Siddiqui, 707-545-5234, Siddiqui@aol.com or an Imam/director of a local Masjid/Islamic Center. According to Muslim physicians, there are some physiological benefits from Muslim Fasting (total abstention from food and liquids) including lowering of blood sugar, lowering of cholesterol, and lowering of systolic blood pressure.

At the completion of month of Fasting, Muslims all over the world celebrate their holiday of Eid al-Fitr. It is the biggest Muslim holiday. It is a true thanksgiving for a Muslim believer for having the opportunity to obey Allah (the God Almighty) by observing Fasting. It is celebrated on the 1st day of 10th lunar month, Shaw'waal. This year, it will probably be on Sunday, September 20, 2009. The holiday begins with Muslims putting on their best preferably new clothes and going to the Eid congregation. Eid congregations are very large gatherings of Muslim men, women, and children across the country. You can witness these gathering at local Convention Centers, Fair grounds, and/or Community Parks. Afterwards, people greet each other with hugs and handshakes. The children receive gifts of money and toys. After the congregation, Muslims visit each other at their homes and hold lunches or dinners for family and friends. Don't be surprised if you are invited to an Eid dinner or Eid celebration by your Muslim neighbor or friend. Please do accept such an invitation. The hospitality, friendliness, and variety of international Muslim cuisine will pleasantly surprise you. Greetings of Ramadan, Ramadan Karim!

The local police and other law enforcement agencies should take extra precautions, during this month around the local Masjid / mosque / Islamic Center and where the Eid Congregation will be held, for the safety of Muslims and their facilities. The Muslim Communities across the nation appreciate the local police officers and the law enforcement agencies for looking after their safety. They are also thankful of interfaith volunteers who have provided support and vigilance. Thank you! May Allah, the Creator, look after you in your hour of need! Amen!

P.S. Muslims should call their local Masjid for the beginning and end of Ramadan. Additional information can be acquired through e-mail: siddiqui@aol.com

About the author:

Imam Ali Siddiqui is the Imam at the Islamic Center of Petaluma, CA, President of California Muslim Institute; Member of Board of Directors, Peace with Justice Center of the Pomona Valley; Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, Los Angeles, and UNA of Pomona Valley. For additional information about author's involvement, please visit onenationforall.org and/or Google: "Imam Ali Siddiqui"

Other publications by the author:
Zakat-ul-Fitr is Wajib
Zakat al-Maal - the right of the Poor
Lai-la-tul Qadr - The Night of Mercy and Peace
Eid al-Fitr - A True Thanksgiving
The Significance of Eid

Imam Siddiqui is also available for speaking engagements. Please contact him at Siddiqui@aol.com ; 707-545-5234.

War News: Gaza
Hamas Attack on Mosque, murder of Jund Ansar Allah leader, Shows End of Hamas leaders' Islamic Identity, Prep to Accept Israeli-US-Abbas Diktat
analysis by Imam Badi Ali [North Carolina] [The writer is a Palestinian with decades of Islamic community work and anti-war activities experience.]

Muslims are now faced with ugly new images. Hamas attacked a mosque, Masjid ibn Taymiyyah, in Gaza where an Islamic imam was proclaiming the need for Islamic rule and an end to the cease fire with Israel. The imam, Abdul Latif Musa, survived the Hamas attack with the help of his security detail, but was pursued and killed by Hamas early the next morning [August 15]. My analysis of the repercussions of this atrocity is as follows.
  1. This was a small group, Jund Ansar Allah, proclaiming Islamic rule. Hamas should have negotiated. Scholars should have met from both sides. Surely Muslims need to talk to each other. There was no need for military action.
  2. Hamas is willing to talk and has been talking to both Abbas [PA link to Israel] and Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian dictator linked to USA. There was no need to carry out military action against the mosque where imam Abdul Latif Musa spoke. Such attacks are HARAM in Islam and only apostates like Pakistani general Musharraf carry out such atrocities. This is Gaza's Red Mosque tragedy.
  3. What are the images flashed around the world on Islamic web sites?: Hamas attacking a mosque! How are we to justify this to our children. What's the difference between Hamas and the blatant enemies of Islam like Israel which routinely attacks mosques?
  4. Looks like Hamas leaders are unable to administer Gaza. What are the chances that they would be able to govern a free Palestine? They cause more and more confusion by their random acts against Islamic people who differ with them.
  5. How come the western media are supporting Hamas either through silence or through nominal coverage of the tragic attack on the mosque? What happened to the principles of democracy, freedom of expression, listening to others?
  6. The Hamas attack came only days before the start of Ramadan. Hamas leaders did not consider the shame of carrying out an attack which is at best sacrilege when brotherhood, forgiveness and understanding are the needs of the hour.
  7. There is an "old guard" within Hamas which is safeguarding its own interests instead of looking at the principles and teachings of Islam. These personal and partisan interests ruined the Islamic vitality of the Muslim Brotherhood [Ikhwan] in Egypt and Jordan and now we see the same process of group mentality in Hamas attacking a mosque and an Islamic group.
  8. A new salafi ideology based on Jihad is emerging in Palestine. It is competing with the ideology of Hamas. A process of replacement is taking place. Noticeably, Hamas has started presenting itself as "moderate." Hamas seems not to realize that peace with Israel [even if it is via the route of Abbas, PA and Hosni Mubarak] is not acceptable to Palestine or the Muslim world.
  9. The emergence and martyrdom of imam Musa Abdul Latif shows that Islamic forces are gradually building up towards challenging any attempts at cease fire or collaboration with Israel. Salafis from the Arab world came in to defend Gaza against Israel. Locally there is growing support for them.

War News: Pakistan
New Fighting in Swat: Kayani's troops being put on the Defensive.

August 15, 2009: In Swat's Waliabad area of Char Bagh region, a martyrdom operator rammed a car filled with dynamite into the most prominent Pak army check post in the area. The building was demolished. The army admitted 5 troops killed and 4 wounded but the actual toll is said to be much higher. Pak president Asif Zardari condemned the attack. The army closed down the Charbagh-Khwazkhela road to thwart more attacks.
The army also reported a clash with Taliban in the Deri area in which it said 3 of its troops and 8 Taliban were killed.

The same day in the Qarat area of Kurram agency Pak helicopter gunships shelled suspected Taliban areas . Two women were killed and 2 wounded. In the same area one Talib was killed and 3 wounded in the shelling.
Also, Nowshera's cantonment area was hit by 4 rockets. There were no casualties but people were shocked because the military town is outside the tribal areas.

Three Key Collaborators of Pak Army Killed by Islamic Resistance

August 13, 2009: South Waziristan: Malik Khadeen, described as a "key anti-Taliban facilitator in Wana, the main town in the wild tribal region" was killed by a martyrdom operator on a motorbbike.
The same day in Bajaur, gunmen from a Taliban group killed two leaders of a militia force organized by the Pak army.

Mehsud's Forces Crush Militia Organized by General Kayani: Surprise Attack.

August 12, 2009: "Turkistan Bettni" militia, under a reactionary warlord, had established a foothold in the Mabul area on the border of South Waziristan. They were preparing the ground for the entry of Pak army into Mehsud's stronghold. Pak disinformation about the death of Baitullah in a US drone attack perhaps made them inattentive to the danger they faced. The Mehsud attack took them off guard although they fought back with all they had. At least 70 of them were killed by the Islamic forces according to figures published in Urdu language media. They are now in full flight.

North Waziristan: Military Convoy Faced Problems

August 10: A Pak military convoy came under Pak Taliban attack in which a remote controlled bomb was used. Two Pak troops were killed and 4 wounded.

In Upper Dir, the bodies of 6 "suspected Taliban" killed in Pak air strikes were found.

War News: Afghanistan

NATO Forces Attacked in Kabul

August 18,2009: The Islamic resistance known as Taliban carried out a successful attack on NATO forces in central Kabul. The Kabul rulers said that 7 persons, including 2 UN workers had been killed, being those affiliated to Karzai. However NATO sources said [FOX TV] that Nato troops are among the dead and the wounded.
Earlier the same day, Taliban rocket fire hit Karzai's presidential palace. Losses were not revealed.

Classic Guerrilla Warfare: Taliban Inflicting Losses on NATO while evading Direct Confrontation

12-17 August, 2009: Taliban raids, in which improvised explosive devices and small arms fire were used have killed 46 NATO troops in August so far according to wire services. Ten of these were elite troops from Britain. Most of the rest were Americans. The Obama administration is under the impression that it can change the thinking of the Afghan people. This attempt to undermine Islam is implicit in the death of one American special forces trooper, described as follows in an American report.:

"Cpl. Nicholas R. Roush, 22, of Middleville, Mich., died Aug 16 in Herat, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Psychological Operations Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C."

The number of Karzai and other mercenary Afghan troops supporting NATO killed by the Taliban is much higher but exact numbers are difficult to ascertain. These mercenaries are largely Shi'ites from Hazarajat, Communists from the north and elements of the "northern alliance" who see the Taliban as "pashtuns" rather than Islamic fighters.

Pakistan: Another Mass anti-U.S. Demonstration in Sukker [a city in the interior of Sind Province]
Photo courtesy Umeed Khan [in Sukker] [August 17, 2009]

Jamaate Islami Pakistan leader Syed Munawar Hasan spoke to a huge crowd in Sukker [see inset in photo below]. He condemned US drone attacks on Pakistan and called for an end to fighting between Pak army and Pak Taliban which he said is serving US interests.

He condemned government atrocities in Baluchistan. He said more than 1200 Baluch have been abducted, includng 132 women, by the government and simply disappeared in some unmarked prisons

Hasan has successfully mobilized Pakistan's people against the US war on Islam. US media are steadily censoring the news of these historic rallies held in mid-summer which have put an end to Gen. Kayani's claims that the people of Pakistan support his offensives in Swat and South Waziristan.


Tesco, Sainsburys etc sells many fruits (avocados, carrots etc) and dates that are Israeli products. Please ensure you don't buy these goods / and READ the labels at all times.

Please note Israeli Medjoul dates (made on illegal settlements that have aggressively been expropriated from Palestinians contravening int'l law) do not in any way support the Palestinians and their economy.
Palestinian Medjoul dates can be bought on www.zaytoun. org and are Fairtrade approved.
http://www.aqsa.org.uk/RESOURCES/BoycottIsraeliDates/tabid/163/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

This Ramadhan , DON'T break your fast with Israeli Dates.

Ramadan is a time of year when we remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves. When we break our fasts with dates, it would be an affront to us all if these dates were the produce of Illegal Israeli settlements built on land stolen from Palestinians.

Israeli produced Medjoul dates are grown in the Jordan Valley within Illegal Israeli settlements. They form a large part of the agriculture from these settlements and they are exported all over the world. Purchasing these dates means that you are actually helping Israeli settlements to continue to exist.

Israelis will claim that Palestinians are allowed to work on the land of these settlements and therefore they are provided with jobs and a boycott will harm them. In actual fact, these Palestinians are employed for paltry wages, and they are required to do the back-breaking work that the Israeli settlers will not do themselves. This means the Israeli settlers reap the rewards for the harvests while doing very little of the work themselves.

Palestinian children are employed by these settlers, and they are forced to work long hours under a hot baking sun for small sums of money. This exploitation means that these children miss out on an education.

Most of these dates are exported to Europe. They are labelled as produce of ISRAEL or WESTBANK

Palestinian produced medjool dates are available from Zaytoun - a Fairtrade supplier (www.zaytoun. org).
You can help with this campaign.

2009-08-20 Thu 19:18:38 cdt
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