by Stephanie Guerilus
The Philadelphia Tribune

Iftekhar Hussain, chairman of the CAIR-PA board of directors and a member of the CAIR-PA Philadelphia Chapter executive committee, can also tout his avocation as an instructor on his impressive resume. CAIR stands for Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Hussain is teaching the class “Understanding Islam and Muslims through History and Jurisprudence” at Downingtown Friends Meeting, 800 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown.

Hussain developed the 10-part course on behalf of CAIR, which has taken to reaching out to local churches and organizations in a bid to educate others about what Islam stands for.

Hussain has presented the course at more than 25 different venues over the past six years, but his first class at the institution prompted outbursts from protestors.

A local tea-party group called the Valley Forge Patriots interrupted the proceedings, picketing outside with offensive signs and even entering the establishment to ask offensive questions about the faith.

“When I do see actual resistance, I realize how much more actually needs to be done to really educate people,” Hussain said. “I don’t see my work in vain.”

Despite the early disruption, Hussain and the regular 40 attendees have remained committed to the purpose of the course, which is held every Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

“The class is designed to explore the Muslim theology, the Muslim history and Muslim society. It’s for those in the American public who either don’t have an understanding of Islam and Muslims,” he said.

The main source of textbook material is the Koran.

“The goal is to help the American public see that number one, how it was written and understood; how the source text was originally understood and then how the source text understanding has changed over the history of Muslim understandings,” Hussain said.

“And then we look at how America and its foreign policy has gotten involved over the last two centuries, if you will, with parts of the Muslim word. How that has informed the perspectives of Americans of Muslim society and the Muslim societies of America, and we explore these ideas and we also deal with some of the more difficult issues that go toward addressing the perceptions of Islam in American society.”

Hussain said a lack of basic understanding has been another difficulty he has faced.

“Usually the difficulties are very common from class to class. It is the sheer lack of exposure to the source text,” he said.

“So then you have to actually cover those basic materials, which most people understand then they can go and have a much deeper discussion. The second challenge I face is fear. People are afraid of Islam. People are afraid of Muslims, and that fear, based on the viewing of Islam and Muslims, can lead to what a lot of Muslims experience as Islamaphobia.”

The course will continue until March 4.

Civil Rights Corner – Special Presentation to Government Agencies; Meeting with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter; New Cases

The CAIR-PA Civil Rights Department started off the new year with a couple of high profile meetings and presentations.

First, CAIR-PA’s Civil Rights Director made a special presentation to the Pennsylvania Inter-Agency Task Force on Civil Tension – a group of various government agencies, law enforcement and civil rights organizations.  Civil Rights Director Moein Khawaja detailed the struggles facing Muslims in Pennsylvania, gave recommendations to each agency and offered CAIR-PA’s numerous services to them.  Many local police departments expressed interest in CAIR-PA’s sensitivity training for law enforcement officers, and the Civil Rights Department will be presenting workshops throughout the state in the near future.

Last weekend, representatives from CAIR-PA and other local Muslim leaders met with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.  CAIR-PA offered the mayor and city of Philadelphia a series of workshops for city departments to familiarize themselves with Muslims, an important and growing demographic in the city.  Mayor Nutter also offered to work with CAIR-PA’s Civil Rights Department to figure out methods of preventing discrimination against Muslims in the workplace before they happen.  Follow-up meetings are being scheduled.

The Civil Rights Department has received two new cases in January, one involving a local Muslim man not allowed to leave for the Friday Jummah prayer, and another complaint of a hostile working environment.  The second case is particularly interesting and challenging because the hostile environment was created by customers making anti-Muslim remarks to the employee.  In this situation, CAIR-PA believes the customer does NOT come first and will advocate vigorously.

Moein M. Khawaja
Civil Rights Director

Focus Article: Muslims helping Haiti

by Wajahat Ali
Common Ground News

Haiti is experiencing unimaginable suffering from its devastating earthquake, with more than 150,000 dead and one to three million individuals displaced. Individuals, groups and governments from around the world have stepped in to do what they can. United by their religious tradition of charity, Muslims have emerged as effective partners in aid and relief work.

The international effort to aid Haiti by individuals, Islamic relief organisations and the governments of Muslim-majority countries reflects a proactive generosity and empathy espoused by the Prophet Muhammad and the teachings of the Qur’an. Charity, in fact, is one of the five obligations for Muslims, and Muslim organisations have been working alongside other faith-based groups to fulfil this duty.

World Commentary

1. Zinn’s Life Was a Testament to Possibility by James Carroll
2. Howard Zinn: A Radical Treasure by Bob Herbert
3. Why Does the US Turn a Blind Eye to Israeli Bulldozers? by Robert Fisk

Ask President Obama and State Department to act on congressional letter

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 1/28/10) – CAIR today urged American Muslims and all people of conscience to show their support for 54 members of Congress, led by Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), who recently sent a letter to President Obama calling for an end to the blockade of humanitarian aid imposed on the people in the Gaza Strip.

That letter stated in part: “The unabated suffering of Gazan civilians highlights the urgency of reaching a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and we ask you to press for immediate relief for the citizens of Gaza as an urgent component of your broader Middle East peace efforts.”

SEE: Ellison, McCollum and Oberstar Urge Obama to Lift Gaza Blockade

The letter outlines the well-documented suffering of Palestinians living under the Gaza blockade and notes, “lifting these restrictions will give civilians in Gaza a tangible sense that diplomacy can be an effective tool for bettering their conditions.” In the letter, the elected officials also called for freedom of movement in and out of Gaza and for access to construction materials to rebuild houses.

CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad offered support for Palestinian access to humanitarian aid: “All civilians in the region should have unrestricted access to food, water, shelter, medical care, and sanitation. Peace and stability are founded on such basics.”

He said those who support the congressional letter should also contact the White House and the State Department to seek action to end the blockade of Gaza’s civilian population.

Awad reiterated a statement made by CAIR in 2002: “To break this cycle of violence and counter-violence, all parties must focus on a political solution based on justice and equality, not force of arms.”

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED:

1) Contact the president and the Department of State and urge them to call for an end to the blockade of humanitarian aid imposed on the people in the Gaza Strip.

2) Send a note of thanks to your elected representative if he or she signed the letter. (Note this part of the alert only works if you live in the district of a member who signed the letter.)