News Release: CAIR-PA and Common Humanity lead Humanitarian Delegation to visit Iraqi War Refugees in Syria

News Release: CAIR-PA Rep participates in Alternative Interfaith Prayer

Focus Article: Sheikh Zayed Great Mosque in Abu Dhabi: Islamic Architecture in the 21st Century

Since its creation in 1971, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has carefully invested in development and progress. It has invented itself as an important centre for international investment and job markets. With oil prices reaching record levels in the last few years, the Emirates saw a huge economic boom which instigated considerable building activity. The leader of this radical change was the late Sheikh Zayed Ben Sultan al-Nahyan, the first president of the UAE, who wanted to celebrate his achievements with the erection of a splendid mosque at the capital city of Abu Dhabi. Named after him, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque was opened in December 2007 to emerge as one of the ten major mosques of Islam with a total capacity of 40,000 worshippers. The mosque proved to be a gigantic project which took twelve years to complete at an estimated cost of 2.167 billion UAE dirhams. It has achieved three entries into the Guinness Book of World Records with the largest carpet, the biggest chandelier as well as the largest dome of its kind in the world. Continue reading...

World Commentary

Press Release: Penn. Muslims Seek 'Balance' in Police Training on Islam

NEWS RELEASE: CAIR-PA completes 10 week course on “Understanding Islam and Muslims” at Grove United Methodist Church in West Chester PA

CAIR-PA Quoted: US Muslims call on Obama for change

Excerpts:

Iftekar Hussain, chairman of the Council on Islamic American Relations in Pennsylvania, says the primary marks a watershed for many Muslim-Americans as they will be participating in far larger numbers.

"One of the main things I've seen with Pennsylvania Muslims is that four or eight years ago I'd I talked to Muslims about the primaries they had no idea - they thought it was the November elections and that was it," he says.

"This time I've seen lots of Muslim participation and you will see it in the primaries which is something you didn't have before, and this has come through a learning process in the Muslim community."

...

Amin Elarbi, the president of the al-Aqsa Islamic Society, says he switched from the Republican party only a month ago – along with three family members – to vote for Obama.

"Both Clinton and Obama … value the human rights and the civil rights of the people and this is very important to us, we understand our country is involved in a war and our kids are dying for something that was misplanned," he says.

"That said, I will vote for Obama, but if Ms Clinton was the candidate I would vote for her, too."

...

Talk is consistently of Obama, and how much – or how little – he will change the existing political system, although the tone is cautious, particularly on his attitudes towards Muslim-Americans.

"As for domestic foreign policy well I know he's not coming to a masjid [mosque] anyday soon [and] he's not had any alliances with any national [Muslim] figures," says Qasim Rashad, president of the UMM.

"But I think overall Muslims have hope and Muslims and African-Americans are going to vote for Obama based on the whole campaign strategy of hope, that this guy will be a change for the better. After all it can't get any worse," he says.