By Glenn Greenwald and Murtaza Hussain (The Intercept)
The National Security Agency and FBI have covertly monitored the emails of prominent Muslim-Americans—including a political candidate and several civil rights activists, academics, and lawyers—under secretive procedures intended to target terrorists and foreign spies.
According to documents provided by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, the list of Americans monitored by their own government includes:
• Faisal Gill, a longtime Republican Party operative and one-time candidate for public office who held a top-secret security clearance and served in the Department of Homeland Security under President George W. Bush;
• Asim Ghafoor, a prominent attorney who has represented clients in terrorism-related cases;
• Hooshang Amirahmadi, an Iranian-American professor of international relations at Rutgers University;
• Agha Saeed, a former political science professor at California State University who champions Muslim civil liberties and Palestinian rights;
• Nihad Awad, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil rights organization in the country.
The individuals appear on an NSA spreadsheet in the Snowden archives called “FISA recap”—short for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Under that law, the Justice Department must convince a judge with the top-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that there is probable cause to believe that American targets are not only agents of an international terrorist organization or other foreign power, but also “are or may be” engaged in or abetting espionage, sabotage, or terrorism. The authorizations must be renewed by the court, usually every 90 days for U.S. citizens.
The spreadsheet shows 7,485 email addresses listed as monitored between 2002 and 2008. Many of the email addresses on the list appear to belong to foreigners whom the government believes are linked to Al Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah. Among the Americans on the list are individuals long accused of terrorist activity, including Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan, who were killed in a 2011 drone strike in Yemen.
But a three-month investigation by The Intercept—including interviews with more than a dozen current and former federal law enforcement officials involved in the FISA process—reveals that in practice, the system for authorizing NSA surveillance affords the government wide latitude in spying on U.S. citizens.
The five Americans whose email accounts were monitored by the NSA and FBI have all led highly public, outwardly exemplary lives. All five vehemently deny any involvement in terrorism or espionage, and none advocates violent jihad or is known to have been implicated in any crime, despite years of intense scrutiny by the government and the press. Some have even climbed the ranks of the U.S. national security and foreign policy establishments.
“I just don’t know why,” says Gill, whose AOL and Yahoo! email accounts were monitored while he was a Republican candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates. “I’ve done everything in my life to be patriotic. I served in the Navy, served in the government, was active in my community—I’ve done everything that a good citizen, in my opinion, should do.”
Teenage sisters who fled their Manchester home for Syria are "posing a threat to themselves and potentially the community", a counter-terrorism chief said on Wednesday.
Detectives are investigating whether jihadist rebels arranged and paid for twins Salma and Zahra Halane, 16, to join the violent conflict in Syria after radicalising them online.
Continue reading...We asked Muslim bloggers to tell us their experiences of living as a Muslim in the UK today. Do you agree? Share your thoughts and experiences.
We asked Muslim bloggers to share their own experiences and opinions about living as a Muslim in Britain today. Have you had similar or different experiences? Answer the questions yourself in the comment thread, or fill out the form anonymously below. We'll post a selection of the best responses on the site.
Today, global events have transformed what being a Muslim means from a private to a public experience. We are faced with divisive and worrying questions from our children asking, What does Jihad mean? or What is a Shia or a Sunni? Why or how these questions have been created is debatable. What I do know is being Muslim in essence can never change, only the political rhetoric that surrounds it.
To be a Muslim is a deeply personal and spiritual sense of being that is individual to every Muslim. Of the Sunnah teachings, my favourite is to smile. Smiling is considered a form of charity in Islam and epitomises what being a Muslim means to me. Although, these can be interpreted differently one binding belief is the Shahadah; "There is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God." Growing up as a Muslim in London was a unifying experience expressed through actions of kindness and consideration for neighbours, the elderly and each other - regardless of faith.
Are you taking part in #SuhoorSelfie? http://t.co/znFsep2gHB Remember #ASmileIsCharity
Having converted to Islam while living in Italy, my first experience of being a Muslim in the UK was being interrogated by a taxi driver on my way home to spend Christmas with my family. After the dreaded (and all too common) question, "no, where are you really from?" he remarked, I don't get it. You're British but you don't drink beer or eat bacon? There's something not right there.
My Britishness was never in doubt before I became a Muslim, but the habits I had as a Christian are now seen as somehow foreign and mutually exclusive to being a British citizen. The two sit very comfortably side by side in my heart and mind. Not only are my Islamic values filtered through my experience of being raised in Britain, but my British values are also backed up by my Islamic ones
How extraordinary it was, when I arrived in London eight years ago to discover women wearing headscarves at the town hall, in airports or in shopping centres. I felt it was not only acceptable, but also normal to be Muslim. It does not seem a big deal to have Muslim MPs in Britain.
My sister sent me a text message earlier this year to let me know she had seen a woman wearing a headscarf working in a clothes shop in the heart of Paris. I am French, so for me that was such news - it marked a sign of progress.
The condescending remarks I receive for following a religion. I have actually had people say to me: I dont believe in religion, I believe in science. As if I believe in Mickey Mouse! Just because I believe in God does not make me a less rational human being. The prevalent belief that science answers all questions is astonishing. As western philosophers of science point out, science cannot answer questions surrounding the issues of morality, meaning and purpose. Science can only study the physical world, not the metaphysical. Religious people do not reject science; we believe there is more to life than just physical matter. It is interesting to note that this issue is specifically European, as the US the most practising Christian country in the industrialised world has greater respect for religion.
From sharia law, "secret halal" scandals, the burqa, hijab, so called "honour" killings, sex grooming gangs, trojan horses, jihad, terrorism and the annual "Muslims are cancelling Christmas" story, the media has us covered. Except they don't. Given the amount of time the media spends discussing "the Muslims" most people remain ill informed and ignorant about Islam and Muslims. Of course there is a correlation?
Headlines are sensational or distorted and reporting is often deeply racist. This impacts directly on the lives of British Muslims across the UK. Some of the stories that are emerging are painful and disturbing. Visible Muslim women in particular are bearing the brunt of Islamophobic abuse - verbal and physical - on the streets, at schools and colleges, in the office and online. The Everyday Bigotry Project has found that many Muslims are internalising islamophobia and it is being normalised. These are some of responses we got to an online debate:
#IslamophobiaIs when being civically engaged means you're "infiltrating" institutions
#islamaphobiaIS WM calling Muslim women oppressed for CHOOSING to wear the hijab, while calling girls slutty for CHOOSING to wear shorts
#islamophobiaIs On train journeys to London, purposely taking out study texts to show rucksack isn't a bomb
Much post 9/11 popular culture has perpetuated notions of the aggressive Muslim through the sustained demonisation of Islam, Muslims and the Prophet Muhammad (saw). Muslim culture is depicted as unchanging and monolithic whereas Muslims are portrayed as backwards, irrational, and aggressive fanatics; their religion is seen to be wholly incompatible with the ways of the West. Many post 9/11 films have propagated images of the violent barbaric Muslim Other. The Muslim villain is used to portray struggles between good against bad and is accepted because of the historical continuity of negative representations of Muslims since the Middle Ages. The power of stereotypes to inflict damage on innocent people is much greater than before 9/11, as can be seen by the growth of attacks on Muslims.
I identify as a queer Muslim and it is through this intersection that I face the most intolerance and abuse. I face LGBTQ-phobia from some sections of the Muslim community and islamophobia coupled with racism from some sections of the LGBTQ community. This has often meant that I have to downplay the importance of my religion and vice versa when in Muslim spaces. It boils down to safety.
I remember a specific incident while I was clubbing at university. En route to leaving the club a white man had shouted a racist comment at me but I wasnt sure if I had heard it properly so I didnt react. I turned around to see my white friend who was with me confront and challenge him. We ended up getting him kicked out of the club. The bouncers, also white, were excellent at dealing with this situation.
Muslims have made contributions to British society in many ways: culinary, fashion, economic and medical. Yet this is still a young community finding its feet. We have many internal problems to contend with (illiteracy, sectarianism and identity crises to mention a few) and a few external ones that have a tendency to grab the headlines. None are insurmountable, but sometimes they can feel that way.
The Muslim community can be an innovative, socially conscious and energising presence in British society, creating and developing deep links to many of the rapidly growing economies of the world. On the other hand, it could slide into being a persecuted, marginalised and mistrusted minority that is a drain on resources and social cohesion. How things turn out will depend not only on whether we are able to move forward in a way that allows us to remain true to our faith and still be productive British citizens, but also on whether the wider community will allow us the time and space to do so.
I would say I am a British citizen because I was born here and grew up around the culture and values of the majority of Britons. However, I am familiar with my origin and would not disregard this to be more "British" in terms of my values, lifestyle or beliefs. I would not proudly be called "British", but this is not due to arrogance or ignorance; it's simply due to the prejudiced view of certain people living in Britain who feel that this is not "our" country because we have a somewhat different lifestyle and upbringing to theirs.
We are free to live how we want within the boundaries of the UK law but are we not free to choose what is morally right for us? There is more to being British than looking, sounding and dressing a certain way. We can still be educated, successful, socially active and know the A to Z of royal history. As Britons we share some values and recognise that there are commonalities between us which bring us together. Why do people refuse to accept differences if the one thing Britain prides itself upon is being multicultural?
Continue reading...There are two sets of laws here: one designed for dissidents, political activists and Muslims and another for everybody else
What do a Republican candidate, a military veteran, a civil rights activist and a professor have in common? They are all American Muslims and all have been subject to pervasive surveillance by the NSA and FBI.
A report published by The Intercept on Wednesday reveals that the two agencies used secretive procedures designed to catch terrorists and spies to monitor the email accounts of prominent American Muslim leaders. Among the documents supplied by Edward Snowden, a spreadsheet titled "FISA recap" contains 7,485 email addresses apparently monitored between 2002 and 2008. (The report also clearly documents how biased training by the FBI leads to biased surveillance, and that calling Muslims "ragheads" is everyday lingo at federal law enforcement agencies.)
FBI and NSA to review policy after leaked documents suggest training materials referred to targets using offensive language
The White House has instructed US security agencies to review their training and policy materials for racial or religious bias after documents leaked by Edward Snowden showed training material for the intelligence agencies referring to "Mohammed Raghead".
After an extensive investigation by the Intercept on Wednesday reported that the NSA and the FBI spied on the emails of five prominent US activists and attorneys with Muslim backgrounds, White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said that the administration took accusations of the slurs "extremely seriously."
Continue reading...
Written by Hasan Jilani
Important: We have recently started a crowdfunding campaign on LaunchGood to raise money for printing and shipping. If we don't reach our goal by July 11, this book will not be funded. Please visit our crowdfunding page and claim your copy of the book today! https://www.launchgood.com/projects/project_detail/kidbook Read more about our goals belowThe state of Muslim children's books is deplorable. There are a few gems, but most books are poorly written and poorly illustrated. We must praise the intentions behind these pioneering efforts, but are they really helping our children?
When a kids' book uses SAT words and dull pictures, it sends a subtle message: Islam is confusing and boring. We think we're helping our children, but instead we may be driving them away from Islam. We need a new approach.
Better WritingTo prove my point, here are a few examples of what's in the market. This excerpt is from one of the few Islamic board books available:
One morning Hamza work up bright and early and went to the family room and said to his brother Ali, 'Assalamalakum, let's go have our breakfast.' Ali replied, 'I'm not going to eat breakfast today because it's the first day of Ramadan and I'm fasting today.' Hamza didn't understand the meaning of fasting.
Reading Grade Level: 9.1 – The toddler has to be in high school to understand this!
Note the long compound sentences, big words like “because” and “understand”, use of contractions, and unnecessary details like “family room”. A better approach would be to break up the story into smaller sentences, simplify the plot, use smaller words, and avoid contractions.
Here is my re-write:
One day, Hamza woke up. He met his brother Ali. Hamza said, “Let's eat breakfast!” Ali said, “I will not eat breakfast today. It is the first day of Ramadan. I am fasting.” What is fasting? Hamza did not know.
Reading Grade Level: 1.9 – Much better!
Here are a couple more examples:
- From reading grade level 7.0 to 3.1 and then 2.8
- From reading grade level 7.4 to 4.4
Here are a few examples of the illustrations we offer our kids.
These are supposed to be birds. I can understand not wanting to draw living things, but couldn't they just illustrate awesome looking palm trees instead?
Cousin It? I can understand not wanting to show eyes, but this book shows the back of the girl's head on pretty much every page, even when it's anatomically awkward. They could have just left off the eyes, like they did with other characters in the book.
Here are illustrations from a kids' book I'm working on, drawn by the artist behind the Superhanallah web comic:
Dr. Seuss is great. Every kid, Muslim or non-Muslim, should read Hop on Pop and Fox in Socks. Green Eggs and Ham? Eh… The point is Muslim kids' books should compliment, not replace, classic children's books. Not only does this help our children to understand and relate to greater society, but it also frees up Muslim writers from having to teach letters, counting, and colors. We can instead focus on morals, ethics, and identity. But if we hope to have them compliment mainstream American books, they must be on the same level of professionalism and polish. A kid who has the option between Cat in the Hat versus Circumambulation for Kids is going to choose Cat in the Hat. Every. Single. Time.
I am working on a kids' book that sets a new standard of Islamic children's literature. It aims to show the market what “good” looks like in the hopes that it will usher in an era of professionalism and polish we desperately need. If the masses become accustomed to outstanding Islamic kids' books, the industry will have no choice but to improve their offerings. We hope they will mimic our style. Yes, we want our fellow Muslims to make rip offs of our work.
We must do for Islamic kids' books what Dr. Seuss did for modern children's literature. Before Cat in the Hat, many children were not learning to read because, according to Life magazine (May 1954), their books were boring. Dr. Seuss aimed to make a book children couldn't resist. His approach was to use simple words and wonderful illustrations. It is no surprise Cat in the Hat is still popular today. We need the same revolution in Islamic children's literature. Call me Sh. Seussi.
What makes our book different?We have recently started a crowdfunding campaign on LaunchGood to raise money for printing and shipping. If we don't reach our goal by July 11, this book will not be funded. Please visit our crowdfunding page and claim your copy of the book today!
https://www.launchgood.com/projects/project_detail/kidbook
Note: all reading grade levels were analyzed using the Flesch-Kincaid formula.
The post Muslim children’s books: an Exposé appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.
I remember when I was quite young, waiting eagerly for the sound of a dozen muezzins ushering in Maghrib – and iftaar. In those last few moments of hunger and thirst, I would think briefly about the Muslims living in more Northern countries and how they must be coping with 18 hour fasts. “Oh well. Serves them right for living in a non-Muslim country,” I used to smugly think to myself and get back to stuffing my face, my conscience at peace.
Well, not that many years later – Allah made sure that I ended up in a non-Muslim country myself and since then I have learnt to be a little less judgemental… sometimes. But these long fastathons aren't all suffering and moaning. There are some unexpected benefits which I thought I would share.
1. Iftaar with the family
When iftaar times fall at 5 or 6pm, it is a struggle for everyone to get back home in time. We often find ourselves in that depressing situation of breaking our fast in our office or in traffic with an emergency date that had been squished into our back pocket since last week. Mmmmm… yummy. Late iftaars means everyone is likely to be home and sitting around the table enjoying each others company as much as the food.
2. Staying up all night is much easier
No one needs to remind us that the nights of Ramadan are special, especially the last ten nights. However, staying up throughout the night engaging in worship and good deeds is a lot easier when the nights are just over 4 hours long as opposed to 10 hours. Staying awake all night is within the reach of most of us rather than the super-dedicated few.
3. Breaking free from addictions
Whether we are addicted to Call of Duty, fizzy drinks, hanging out on twitter or just old fashioned smoking – there is no better time than Ramadan to kick the habit. The trouble is that after iftaar we may feel we have earned ourselves a little indulgence again. But, with the fasting last up to 19-20 hours a day, and the remaining few hours spent in eating, drinking and praying, there is precious little time for you to get reacquainted with your addiction thereby giving you the best chance ever to go cold turkey and break the habit.
4. Minimising iftaar parties
In many communities, Ramadan is in danger of becoming about socialising every evening at a different iftaar party where precious hours are wasted over-indulging and engaging the usual dinner party chit-chat. Having super late Maghribs just doesn't give the time for many of these pointless parties saving everyone money, time and their breath.
5. Less time cooking
Many guys might not understand this point, but a significant proportion of the time of Muslim women is taken up trying to prepare the iftaar meal. During a normal Ramadan, many sisters struggle to fit in much ibaadah time at all with the increasingly elaborate meals they are expected to prepare. These long Ramadan days mean that they aren't torn between making soul food and gaining some nourishment for their soul.
6. Thinking more carefully about the things we eat
It is only natural that when there is such a limited amount of time in which to eat and drink, that we will be more picky about what we choose to partake in. Already there are dozens of articles and videos advising the types of food to avoid, what to stock up on and even ratios of different foods to have. Thinking more about the quality and nutritional value of what we eat can only be a good thing.
7. Real empathy with the poor
One of the benefits of Ramadan is that it helps us reflect on all that we have and empathise with those who have much less. Sure, 10-12 hour fasts leave you hungry but the last hours of an 18 hour fast can actually start to bite. Do that 30 days in a row and you get a much greater appreciation of the poverty-stricken lives of Millions across the world hopefully making us more generous and more grateful.
8. Extra rewards
Some of the Sahaaba 
would actively seek out the hottest and longest days of the year to fast as they felt they would get more reward due to the extra difficulties associated. This has been narrated of Aisha 
as well as Abu Musa Al-Ashari 
. If we do the fasts with the correct intention, then perhaps these extra long fasts may put us in line for a bonus on the day of judgement when we'll need it most.
9. Sign of life
Lets not beat around the bush… the Ummah is not in a good place right now. I don't need to go into the details. Just watch the news, pick up a newspaper or listen to the radio. In times such as these when we are inundated by wave after wave of bad and then worse news, the fact that Muslims can get excited about and actually stick to 18 hour fasts for a whole month in non-Muslim countries has got to count for something.
Maybe, there's still life in this ummah yet. Maybe there is still hope. Perhaps that is the greatest blessing of all.
The post 9 unexpected benefits of long Ramadan fasts appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.
Radwa Ashour’s The Woman From Tantoura addresses the themes of remembering and forgetting.
When Islam came to Australia
(BBC News)
Few Australians are aware that the country’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had regular contact with foreign Muslims long before the arrival of Christian colonisers. And Islam continues to exercise an appeal for some Aboriginal peoples today, writes Janak Rogers.
The white lines are faint but unmistakable. Small sailing boats, picked out in white and yellow pigment on the red rocks of the Wellington Range in Arnhem Land, northern Australia, tell a different story from the one most Australians accept as the history of their nation.
They are traditional Indonesian boats known as praus and they brought Muslim fishermen from the flourishing trading city of Makassar in search of trepang, or sea cucumbers.
Exactly when the Makassans first arrived is uncertain.
Some historians say it was in the 1750s, but radiocarbon dating of beeswax figures superimposed on the cave paintings suggests that it was much earlier – one of the figures appears to have been made before 1664, perhaps as early as the 1500s.
A cave painting of an Indonesian prau, found in Arnhem LandThey apparently made annual trips to gather the sea cucumbers, which fetched a high price because of their important role in Chinese medicine and cuisine.
The Makasssans represent Australia’s first attempt at international relations, according to anthropologist John Bradley from Melbourne’s Monash University – and it was a success. “They traded together. It was fair – there was no racial judgement, no race policy,” he says.
Quite a contrast to the British. Britain designated the country terra nullius- land belonging to no-one – and therefore colonised the country without a treaty or any recognition of the rights of indigenous people to their land.
Some Makassan cucumber traders stayed, married Aboriginal women and left a lasting religious and cultural legacy in Australia. Alongside the cave paintings and other Aboriginal art, Islamic beliefs influenced Aboriginal mythology.
“If you go to north-east Arnhem Land there is [a trace of Islam] in song, it is there in painting, it is there in dance, it is there in funeral rituals,” says Bradley. “It is patently obvious that there are borrowed items. With linguistic analysis as well, you’re hearing hymns to Allah, or at least certain prayers to Allah.”
One example of this is a figure called Walitha’walitha, which is worshipped by a clan of the Yolngu people on Elcho Island, off the northern coast of Arnhem Land. The name derives from the Arabic phrase “Allah ta’ala“, meaning “God, the exalted”. Walitha’walitha is closely associated with funeral rituals, which can include other Islamic elements like facing west during prayers – roughly the direction of Mecca – and ritual prostration reminiscent of the Muslim sujood.
“I think it would be hugely oversimplifying to suggest that this figure is Allah as the ‘one true God’,” says Howard Morphy, an anthropologist at Australian National University. It’s more the case of the Yolngu people adopting an Allah-like figure into their cosmology, he suggests.
One elder has said that Aboriginal “morning star” poles were made to look like the masts of Indonesian praus, and that a pole would be presented to Makassan traders as a gift at the end of a farewell dance ritual each year
The Makassan sea cucumber trade with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ended in 1906, killed off by heavy taxation and a government policy that restricted non-white commerce. More than a century later, the shared history between Aboriginal peoples and Makassans is still celebrated by Aboriginal communities in northern Australia as period of mutual trust and respect – in spite of some historical evidence that this wasn’t always the case.
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An Inspiring Story
In one of my previous jobs I made a big mistake that was going to cause a large financial loss. I was stressed out, nervous and anxious. I was instructed to go to a person who would perhaps be able to solve the issue. You can imagine as I was going to meet that person how fast my heart was beating and how worried I was.
On my way to him, someone stopped me and asked: “Majed, where are you going?” I told him: “I am going to meet, so and so, because I made this serious mistake which perhaps you might've already heard about and I was told he might be able to help.” He said: “O you are going to meet, so and son, that man you are about to meet is also known to be a very nice guy…”
Before I move any further with the story, I want ask you, how do you think I felt after knowing that this man whom I'm about to meet is also known as “The Nice” guy. Don't you think I felt a bit calmer, more relaxed that he will not make fun of me, will be very understanding and sincerely help me and all these good feelings just because I was notified that in addition to his name he is also known as the nice guy.
With that being said, and Allah is the best of examples, how do you feel when I tell you that Allah is also known as Al-Mujeeb, the one who responds to your call whenever you call Him, Al-Mujeeb, the one who gives you that which is best for you whenever you ask Him. If this doesn't mean much to you and doesn't put your heart at ease to a certain extent then there might be a serious deficiency in our understanding of who Allah is and the whole concept of du'a'a.
Expressing our feelings to our friends VS. AllahBrothers and sisters we are poor and weak, and many of us tend to complain to others about our state so they may perhaps make us feel any better or fulfill our need; and what's interesting is that many times the one whom we are complaining to ends up complaining to us about their own state, showing that they are also poor and weak. Had this conversation between us and them been recorded and we watched ourselves while we were expressing our feelings we would be so amazed at how focused, sincere and passionate we were; and there might not be something really wrong with complaining to people as long as we don't cross the limits but the problem.
But the problem comes when some of us get down in the state of sajdah, in prostration, between the hands of Allah, Al-Mujeeb (The one who responds to the call of the caller), Allah Al-Ghaney (The Rich & The Self-Sufficient), Allah Al-Kareem (The Generous) the one who when He wants something to happen He says: Kon fayakoon (be and it is), while in this state of sajdah, many are just not as into to it, as focused, sincere and passionate as they were with their friend a few minutes ago. As if their friend was the rich and generous and Allah was the poor and stingy, we seek Allah's refuge.
Listen to this following ayah and may Allah not make us of that category when Allah says in Surat Az-zumar Chapter 39 Verse 67
“They didn't appreciate Allah the way He deserves to be appreciated and the earth all together is in His fist on the Day of Judgment, and the skies are rolled up by His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.”
Brothers & sisters, let's appreciate Allah and give Him His due right as much as we can and part of it is when we truly go to Allah and remember Him during our times of ease and hardship for wAllahi no one will benefit you and me more than Him.
Omar's Priceless Statement on du'a'a
We need to have the understanding of Omar when it comes to the concept of du'a'a and how he truly understood what it meant that Allah is also known as Al-Mujeeb.
When he said:
أنا لا أحمل هم الإجابة
I am not concerned whether Allah will respond to my call when I call Him or not. I know for a fact that if I ask Allah for something He will give me that which is best for me. I am not worried on His part.
Then what are you worried and concerned about Omar ?
ولكن أحمل هم الدعاء
Rather my concern and worry is on my part. Whether I will put the effort to make du'a'a, whether I will take action and exhaust the means to get my du'a'a accepted. Because I know if I make du'a'a, while being certain and I take action then for sure Allah will respond and give me that which is best for me.
Authentic Hadith Qudsi Showing the Power and Majesty of AllahBrothers and sisters, in addition to Allah being Al-Mujeeb, He is also known as, As-samee' (The All Hearing), Al-BaSeer (The All-Seeing) Al-Qareeb (The Very Close & Near) Al-'aleem (The All-Knowing)
Please listen to the following authentic hadith qudusi with an open heart where Prophet Muhammad 
said that Allah 
said:
يَا عِبَادِي
لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ
قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي
فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مِنْهُمْ مَسْأَلَتَهُ
لَمْ يَنْقُصْ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا
إِلا كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْبَحْرُ أَنْ يُغْمَسَ الْمِخْيَطُ غَمْسَةً وَاحِدَةً
O my slaves!
If the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you
Were all to stand together in the same exact time and asked Me for something
And I were to give everyone What he or she requested then that would not decrease nor diminish whatever I own and whatever I posses!
Except what is decreased of the ocean when a needle is dipped into it.
Allahu akbar, Allah is greater than everything and anything. What's amazing isn't just how massive His wealth and dominion are but what also is amazing is how As-samee' (The All-Hearing) was able to hear every call clearly and they were not overlapping and confusing Him when they all called Him for something at the same exact time, how Al-Baseer (The All-Seeing) saw every caller, how Al-'aleem (The All-Knowledgeable) knew the state of every caller externally and internally and How Al-Mujeeb responded to the call of every caller.
3 elements to be accomplished to make your du'a'a come to realityWhat's the action item?
It is for us to inspire a #DuaRevival in our lives and take the act of du'a'a to the next level, be confident & certain that Allah will respond as long as we take the means.
Brothers and sisters, make du'a'a
Because Allah said:
“And you Lord said: Call upon Me, Ask Me” Surat Ghafir v. 60
And the Prophet said in authentic hadith:
“الدعاء هو العبادة”
du'a'a is the essence of worship
Allah also said:
“To Allah belong the most beautiful names.” Surat Al-A'raf v. 180
So?
“فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا ”
So call Him using these beautiful names
If you are sick call upon Allah Ash-shafee (The One who cures)
If you are seeking a child or a righteous friend call upon Allah Al-Wahhaab (The Giver of Gifts) for these things can be of an absolute gift
If you are feeling hopeless and all the doors seems to be closed call upon Allah Al-Fattah (The Opener)
Be certain that Allah will accept your du'a'a because Allah said:
“Call upon Me and I promise I will respond to you” Ghafir v. 60
And take action and exhaust the means because Allah said:
Ali `Imran v. 195
This ayah tells us how Allah fulfilled their request because they took the means in addition to making du'a'a
Brothers & sisters, may Allah bless you and honor you, feel free to “Share” this article and let's inspire a du'a'a revival in our lives and take the act of du'a'a to the next level. In shaa Allah there are more articles on #DuaRevival to come so stay tuned. May Allah make you as means of victory to the ummah.
Wassalaamu alaykum
Your Brother,
Majed Mahmoud
Majed was born in Saudi Arabia where he studied the basics of tawheed, fiqh, tafsir, hadith & tajweed for 9 years which was part of the Saudi school curriculum. He immigrated to Canada during high school. He then graduated from the University of Windsor with a bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering. Afterwards, Majed graduated from Wayne State University with a MBA, Master degree in Business Administration. During this period he took over 46 courses with Al-Maghrib Institute, a few courses of tajweed & tafsir with Al-Bayyinah Institute and completed his memorization of the Qur'an. Majed has also completed a TV series with Huda TV & Peace TV. He is currently pursuing a bachelor degree in Fiqh & Usool Al-Fiqh from Al-Madinah International University and is working as a mechanical engineer at Chrysler. He is married with 2 children.
The post If You Only Knew Duaa Revival appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.
Government lied to victims’ families and the world after three Israeli teens went missing in the occupied West Bank.
Receiving counter-terrorism training in a country that regularly illegally occupies, detains, tortures and collectively punishes Palestinians. Doubtful that during training he would learn any of that but oh, he did pick up this gem,
Law enforcement in Israel, Stevens said, “love American police.”
“… I think they are enthralled with the TV. The exchange program, they also send a delegation from Israel to here, and they do a lot of counternarcotics. We are not as in depth and in intel in terrorism as they are, and they are not as in depth in narcotics as we are,” he said. “… Wherever you go, a ringtone is always ‘Hawaii Five-O,’ SWAT team, some kind of ‘Cops’ theme. … We had a couple days we had to go in our regular uniform, and it felt like you are a rock star because everyone wants to come up to you and take pictures with an American police officer.”
Describing the experience as “surreal,” he said there also were moments of tension.
“ I think just being up on the Lebanese border was really surreal because here you are, Lebanon, Syria and here’s these big wars and they still have a lot of terrorism on the border. … While we were there, they bombed the border, so that was surreal. It was so beautiful, so lush and people were so great, but it’s so volatile,” Stevens said. “We went to the Temple of the Mount where the mosque is in Jerusalem, and as soon as you walk into the courtyard, you have a lot of Muslim subgroups in the courtyard. This is a very huge courtyard and is sacred by the Muslims and by Jews. As soon as you walk in, they just start chanting, ‘Allah Akbar.’ It really puts you on edge.
Read more: The Daily Tribune News – Cartersville resident receives counterterrorism training in Israel
As part of his party’s plan to introduce a bill banning full-face veils, Austrian politician Heinz-Christian Strache posted on a social network an image of a young blonde woman with the phrase “Too beautiful for a veil.”
The campaign was launched by the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader and Member of Parliament Heinz-Christian Strache on his Facebook page. According to the politician, the poster is aimed “against the Islamization of Europe.”
The image refers to the party’s recent call for a ban on wearing the Muslim burqa in public. Based on the judgement by the European Court of Human Rights, who didn’t oppose the legality of the French burqa ban of 2011, FPÖ plans to introduce the same bill into the Austrian parliament next week.
“In many conservative circles of Islamic immigration society there is a prevailing view that women are second-class citizens,” party spokeswoman Carmen Gartelgruber commented, adding that “one of the many tools of oppression is the burqa.”
A burqa is the full-body veil worn by women according to Islamic traditions, which covers even the eyes with a fine-mesh grid. Another type of veil – the niqab, leaves a slit for the eyes.
The full-body veils, especially burqas, aren’t something you’ll often see on the streets of Austria. Referring to the fact that it’s extremely rare, the planned ban has not been supported by other political forces in Austria.
“One should not create an artificial problem here. I have seen women wearing headscarves in Vienna, but not a burqa. In Austria the number of burqa wearers is estimated at only around one hundred. FPÖ has once again tried to provoke fear and dramatize,” Reinhold Lopatka of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) told the Wiener Zeitung.
The conservative ÖVP wants to vote against the Freedom Party proposal.
The original image of the blonde girl for the anti-veil campaign could not be found on Strache’s Facebook page on July 4. But the politician posted an image with a Dalai Lama quote in German, saying “if there are too many immigrants, you have to muster up the courage to say it is enough.”
In Switzerland, the citizens of the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino voted with a clear majority to ban full-face veils last September. The parliament in Bern must now consider whether the proposal is consistent with the Swiss Constitution. The Swiss People’s Party (SVP) now also plans to launch a national referendum on a burqa ban next year.
Did Daily Mail incite ‘war against the corrupt west’?
Two days ago BBC News reported an interview broadcast on Radio 5 Live with an individual who gave his name as Abu Osama and claimed to be a British Muslim fighting in Syria. Describing Britain as “pure evil”, Abu Osama said:
“If and when I come back to Britain it will be when this Khilafah, the Islamic state, comes to conquer Britain, and I come to raise the black flag of Islam over Downing Street, over Buckingham Palace, over Tower Bridge and over Big Ben.”
The claim was widely publicised in the British media, not least by the Daily Mail.
Yesterday a new thread was opened at the Ummah.com discussion forum under the heading “i am pledging allegiance to the caliphate”, with the following comment:
“salam my sisters and brothers we should get out of this evil country and pledge our allegiance to the muslim sharia law and get out of evil west. who wants to join me so we can wage war and jihad against the corrupt west.”
The thread was posted in the name of abuaisha10, who had only just registered as a member of the forum and had posted no other comments, which was clearly suspicious.
Suspicions were confirmed when Ummah.com admins discovered that abuaisha10′s IP address (195.234.240.212) belongs to DMG Media (formerly Associated Newspapers), which publishes the Daily Mail.
Indeed, according to one IP look-up service, the address would appear to be associated with the Mail‘s chief reporter, David Williams.
Update: See also Morning Star, 7 July 2014
According to the Star report: “The Daily Mail Group did not respond to the Morning Star’s requests for comment, while an operator with Scotland Yard’s anti-terrorist hotline confirmed they would investigate the source. ‘If someone is obviously trying to rally people together to commit violence, that would be an offence we would look into,’ she said.”
Today Richard Dawkins has recommended that his 974,000 Twitter followers should follow the sick anti-Muslim parodist who uses the handle JihadistJoe.
Here is one of JihadistJoe’s recent tweets:
You might think that the above caricature bears more than a passing similarity to the sort of antisemitic “humour” that featured in Der Stürmer. But Dawkins irritably dismisses suggestions that JihadistJoe’s tweets could be viewed as in any way racist:
Other recent examples of JihadistJoe’s “very funny and DEADLY accurate” tweets can be viewed here, here and here.
In Norway the ruling may mean revisiting a debate on the niqab/burqa,
Norway’s Labour and Progress parties have stated that they would consider revisiting the issue of a Muslim veil ban in the wake of a ruling by the European Court of Human Rightsthat a public ban does not violate the human rights of Muslim women.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Tuesday gave support to France’s claim that the statutory public prohibition of clothing which covers the face is within the framework of European human rights.
“We must consider whether we should promote the proposal again, after the court in Strasbourg has now confirmed what we have constantly said: that a ban is compatible with human rights,” said Mazyar Keshvari at the Progress Party (FRP) to the VG daily.
Jan Bøhler of the Labour Party (Ap) also claimed that the ruling of the court puts the Norwegian discussion about the controversial ban in a new light. “When parliament rejected such a ban in 2013, the main argument was that Norway risked being censured in the ECHR. Now that argument falls away. I think we need to take a new discussion about a possible ban,” he told VG.
In Denmark the the French ban may be coming into effect,
Judges upheld France’s burqa law, accepting the argument that veils threatened the right of citizens to live together in society. And now, several legal experts have toldBerlingske newspaper that they believe a similar ban could be enacted in Denmark.
Sten Schaumburg-Müller, a law professor at Aarhus University, agreed that the French model could be adopted by Denmark. “It’s obvious that a ban specifically targeting burqas would be hopeless,” he said. “But I believe a ban similar to France’s prohibiting the covering of the face in public could be established here.”
Jacob Mchangama, the head of think-tank Justitia, also believes the law could be recycled on Danish ground. “The defining element in the French legislation is that it isn’t targeted at specific religions, but instead the motivation is to ensure social cohesion and interaction between citizens,” he said.
Pia Kjærsgaard, the DF values spokesperson, thinks a ban on face-covering dress, whether it is specifically targeting Islamic burqas or not, should be introduced in Denmark. “We can’t have women being completely covered so you can’t see their facial expressions or who you have right in front of you,” she told Berlingske.
Austria’s far-right, Freedom Party is also calling for a ban,
Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ) is calling for a ban on burqas, after the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) backed France’s rules on religious headgear on Tuesday, when it ruled the country’s law banning full-face veils in public was legal.
The ECHR ruled that France’s ban on the wearing of the full-face veil in public does not violate the human rights of Muslim women. Judges said the law was justified on the grounds of social cohesion.
Freedom Party spokeswoman Carmen Gartelgruber said that in the “wide, conservative circles of Islamic immigration society”, the opinion prevails that women are second-class citizens. One of the many instruments for oppressing women is the burqa, she added.
In Britain Tory MP, Phillip Hollobone calls for a ban on the Niqab, he’s supported by Taj Hargey,
The Government should press on with banning the veil in Britain after a French law doing the same wasupheld by the European Court of Human Rights, a Tory MP said today.
Kettering MP Philip Hollobone, who has proposed back bench legislation to ban face coverings in the past, urged Commons Leader Andrew Lansley to find time for a Government statement on the issue. Mr Hollobone, a prominent eurosceptic who more typically criticises the European Court, raised the issue at the weekly Commons business statement.
He said: “This week finally, at long last, we have had a sensible decision from the European Court of Human Rights about something.
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