Archive for February, 2012
[In the Media] ICSC Youth Interfaith Partnership Yields Positive Results
By: By Michael Aushenker / Special to The Malibu Times
Published: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 1:53 PM PST
Call it a homecoming of sorts.
In June, Malibu plays host to Interfaith Camp, an annual youth leadership camp that brings together children of different faiths with the goal of promoting respect, understanding and friendship. Every year, the camp engages 30 to 40 teens of various backgrounds, from all over Los Angeles, in a week of sports, arts and cultural activities. After taking place for the past several years outside of L.A., Interfaith Camp will come full circle this summer at Camp JCA Shalom, located near Arroyo Sequit Park off Mulholland Highway.
“We’re excited about bringing it back to Malibu,” said camp director Anthony Marsh. “We feel that we’re bringing it back home because it was founded here.”
The Interfaith Camp concept is the brainchild of late entrepreneur Daniel Jacoby. Jacoby made a fortune during the dot-com boom as the CEO of online banking company Digital Insight. At the age of 34 he retired to Malibu, four years after his first bout with brain cancer ended in remission. Unfortunately, the cancer returned, and in 2004 he died at the age of 38.
“It came to him in his last days,” Richard Erkes, chair of the Interfaith Board of Directors, said. “As Daniel was dying, he left in his will that a percentage of the money from the sale of his house in Malibu subsidize an interfaith camp.”
The result was Interfaith Inventions, Inc., a nonprofit organization aimed at promoting tolerance, understanding and trust between children and adults of different faiths. The organization hosted its first Interfaith Camp in Malibu in 2004, and later camps have been held in Santa Barbara, Ojai, New Mexico and, for the last few years, Big Bear.
“It’s very compelling,” said Marsh, who came aboard in 2008 and never had a chance to meet Jacoby. “I feel like we’ll be carrying on his vision, what he wanted to see fulfilled and bring it to manifestation.”
For $350 for the entire week, including meals and lodging, boys and girls participate in performing and fine arts classes, as well as outdoor activities such as ropes and hiking. The activities serve as a safe background for children from different backgrounds to form friendships.
“We’ve had young people who have gone on to attend a bar mitzvah for the first time,” Marsh said. “For a Jewish kid who has never met a Muslim, when they become friends, it’s life-changing.”
Erkes, whose partner is Rabbi Judith HaLevy of the Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue, says the camp operates on a tight budget. “It’s money to operate but we haven’t been able to do any fundraising,” Erkes said.
Nevertheless, the results have been successful due to the fact that children are at the perfect age to receive the camp’s message of unity.
“To talk interfaith with my contemporaries, forget about it,” Erkes said. “But among the kids, they can change their minds.”
Wasi Momin, 15, of Hancock Park, attended the camp last summer. A member of the Muslim Youth Group at the Islamic Center of Southern California, Momin enjoyed the experience.
“I was always interested in interfaith…I like meeting new people,” he said. “I met people from all over California, people of different faiths. I had a great time. It was a great bonding experience…I feel that I grew as a person.”
Isaac Vandor, 15, a Jewish teen who lives in Malibu West, attended the camp when he was 12.
“Despite having gone three years ago, I’m still in contact with friends that I met there,” he said. “We still speak and hang out.”
“The great thing about the camps is that they bring kids of all different backgrounds,” Vandor continued. “Muslim, Christian faith, other Jewish friends. It was a great experience. I’m definitely going this summer.”
Marsh believes that “the main event is when there is no event”; when, after a week of hanging out together at the camp, religious barriers are replaced by understanding.
“They come in with modest expectations and when they leave, they’re surprised by the new friendships they’ve created,” Marsh said. “Seeing kids intersect with kids of different religious backgrounds and faiths can be powerful.”
For more information, visit interfaithinventions.org or contact Anthony Marsh at AMarsh@interfaithinventions.org.
Posted in 
Celebrating the Roots of Islam Through Black History Month
By: Haris Tarin, MPAC
The contributions to Islam and America by African Americans have been both inspiring and truly eye-opening. Without a doubt, Islam in America, as it stands today, would not be the way it is without African American influence. Sadly, the narrative of Islam in America generally tends to forget about the major impact African Americans made in shaping a Muslim American identity.More than 200 years ago, our nation was embedded in the gross practice of slavery; by 1800, estimates have shown that at least 15 to 30 percent of slaves were Muslim. Muslim slaves unknowingly contributed to the narrative of Islam in America by continuing to practice their faith in the face of great adversity. Indeed, Muslims have been part of the American framework since its very inception. American society saw its first population of Muslims through the import of African slaves. From that point, there are historical accounts of Muslims fighting in the American Revolutionary War, aiming to assist in the very creation of this nation.
For example, Peter Salem, a former slave of Muslim background from Massachusetts, fought in 1775 in the Battle of Bunker Hill and later fought in the Battle of Saratoga. In the course of our nation’s short history, Muslims have participated and fought in every American war. Further, when the slaves were emancipated, they fought for their nation’s principles of freedom, equality and justice in the Civil War. Forming the Muslim American identity of participation and engagement—even at the military level—was in its infancy stage of being established.
More than 100 years later, Malcolm X was born and established himself as one of the most prolific contributors to America. In his transformation from petty criminal to a member of the Nation of Islam where he espoused powerful rhetoric in defense of black supremacy to his shift to Sunni Islam, Malcolm X proved to be an intellectual force in the formation of identity to be reckoned with. Malcolm’s fascinating change from exclusion in American society to the realization that participation and engagement within the larger fabric of our nation was exemplified, highlighted and emulated during and after his life. From, “we’re not American, we’re Africans who happen to be in America. We were kidnapped and brought here against our will from Africa. We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock- that rock landed on us,” to his infamous speech in Cleveland, Ohio, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” in which he stressed the importance of political participation to address political maturity and recognizing that through unity comes action.
African Americans have certainly established the bedrock of Islam in America; without them, the way we see and experience Islam in America today would not be. In a time when Islam is seen as a suspicious foreign entity existing within the U.S., the centuries old narrative of Islam in America proves otherwise—it has been a thriving, contributing force to the very structure of our nation from the country’s inception.
It would be completely untrue for the African American experience to be left out of the hundreds of years of forming and shaping a Muslim American identity. The narrative exists, and the roots of Islam in America can be dated back to the very formation of this nation on the backs of those whose religion values freedom, justice, human rights and equality.
[CONTACT: Haris Tarin, DC Office Director, (202) 547-7701, haris@mpac.org]
[In the Media] Rick Warren builds bridge to Muslims
By : Jim Hinch/ Orange County Register
The Rev. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest and one of America’s most influential Christian leaders, has embarked on an effort to heal divisions between evangelical Christians and Muslims by partnering with Southern California mosques and proposing a set of theological principles that includes acknowledging that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.
The effort, informally dubbed King’s Way, caps years of outreach between Warren and Muslims. Warren has broken Ramadan fasts at a Mission Viejo mosque, met Muslim leaders abroad and addressed 8,000 Muslims at a national convention in Washington D.C.
Saddleback worshippers have invited Muslims to Christmas dinner and played interfaith soccer at a picnic in Irvine attended by more than 300 people. (The game pitted pastors and imams against teens from both faiths. The teens won.)
The effort by a prominent Christian leader to bridge what polls show is a deep rift between Muslims and evangelical Christians culminated in December at a dinner at Saddleback attended by 300 Muslims and members of Saddleback’s congregation.
At the dinner, Abraham Meulenberg, a Saddleback pastor in charge of interfaith outreach, and Jihad Turk, director of religious affairs at a mosque in Los Angeles, introduced King’s Way as “a path to end the 1,400 years of misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians.”
The men presented a document they co-authored outlining points of agreement between Islam and Christianity. The document affirms that Christians and Muslims believe in “one God” and share two central commandments: “love of God” and “love of neighbor.” The document also commits both faiths to three goals: Making friends with one another, building peace and working on shared social service projects. The document quotes side-by-side verses from the Bible and the Koran to illustrate its claims.
“We agreed we wouldn’t try to evangelize each other,” said Turk. “We’d witness to each other but it would be out of ‘Love Thy Neighbor,’ not focused on conversion.”
Saddleback representatives declined to make Warren available for comment. Tom Holladay, associate senior pastor at Saddleback, said the outreach to Muslims is part of Saddleback’s PEACE Plan, a wide-ranging effort to solve major world problems by mobilizing governments, businesses and faith communities.
“This is us serving our own community with Muslims here in Orange County,” said Holladay. “We realize we don’t agree about everything and we’re very open about that. … You just recognize the differences and recognize the points where you can work together.”
Warren has faced criticism from some evangelicals for his outreach to Muslims. Late last year, he issued a statement flatly denying rumors that he promulgates what critics term “Chrislam,” a merging of Islam and Christianity.
The “rumor is 100 percent false,” Warren wrote at Pastors.com, a website he founded that provides practical advice to church leaders. “My life and ministry are built on the truth that Jesus is the only way, and our inerrant Bible is our only true authority.”
Polls show that evangelicals are 30 percent more likely than other Christians to hold a negative view of Islam, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Polls also show that evangelicals overwhelmingly favor converting Muslims to Christianity and are more likely to believe that Islam encourages violence.
Warren has repeatedly encouraged evangelicals to set aside such views, arguing that Christians are obliged to treat everyone with love and respect, regardless of faith.
“I don’t know if you have noticed this, but God likes variety,” Warren told an audience of 8,000 Muslims at a Washington, D.C. convention in 2009, according to a transcript published by the religion news websitebeliefnet. “People of all beliefs (can) be, and discuss, and, yes, even disagree, without demeaning or debasing each other.”
Warren’s outreach to Muslims stems directly from his church’s location in multiethnic Orange County, home to 170,000 Muslims. For 12 years Warren has lived next door to Yasser Barakat, a Muslim from Syria who worships at a Mission Viejo mosque four miles down the road from Saddleback. The Trabuco Canyon neighbors were friends for years before Barakat realized he lived next door to a world-famous Christian pastor.
When Barakat discovered who Warren was, he invited his neighbor to learn more about Islam. “I was talking to him over the fence,” Barakat said. “I said, ‘Rick, why don’t you go to Syria with me? He said, ‘Sure, let’s talk about it. Let’s do it.’ ”
Warren traveled with Barakat to Syria in 2006, and Warren and his wife, Kay, began attending Iftar meals at the Mission Viejo mosque. Iftar is the evening meal Muslims eat after fasting all day during the holy month of Ramadan. Invitations followed to address Muslim conferences in Long Beach, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.
“We understand that to some people in the religious community these events may be difficult to swallow,” said Yassir Fazaga, imam at the Mission Viejo mosque. “But I believe that we have to begin somewhere and just begin to reach out and be accessible to people when they ask about who we are.”
Gwynne Guibord, an ordained Episcopal priest and co-founder of a Los Angeles outreach group that fosters relationships between churches and mosques nationwide, said Saddleback’s effort is unprecedented. “I’m not aware of any other evangelical church reaching out to the Muslim community,” she said.
Guibord said that when she and Jihad Turk co-founded the Christian-Muslim Consultative Group in 2006, they sent invitations to mosques, the Catholic archdiocese and a variety of mainline Protestant denominations throughout Southern California, but not to evangelical churches.
“I think that many evangelicals feel a mandate to convert people to Christianity,” Guibord said. Because the Consultative Group was founded to respond to increasing antagonism between the two faiths, “we would not have made headway” if one side was trying to convert the other, she said. Now, she said, it might be possible to include evangelicals in her group’s work.
Turk said the relationship between Saddleback and Muslims, though still in its infancy, has already produced results. “People (at the December dinner) were talking about the bonds they’ve formed and they were crying,” he said. Both sides realized they shared misconceptions about each other’s faith.
“We did a quiz at the Christmas dinner,” Turk said, “asking basic questions about Islam or Christianity with the scriptures, the Koran or the Bible. And both sides were missing it…. It’s an education for everyone.”
Barakat said he continues to know Warren as a man who literally loves his neighbor. Barakat said his children could always count on Warren to buy the candy or magazine subscriptions they sold door-to-door for school fundraisers. The Warrens have hosted Barakat’s family at a Christmas dinner, he said.
“He calls me his Muslim brother,” Barakat said. “It all started with a friendship.”
The Academy for Jewish Religion California
By: Editor
As many of you may know, the Academy for Jewish Religion California entered into a consortium with Claremont School of Theology and the Islamic Center of Southern California for the purpose of promoting understanding, collaboration, cooperation, friendship, and harmony between members of the three Abrahimic traditions at the individual, organizational, and governmental level.
As a result of this evolving partnership, a new university was launched in the fall of 2011—Claremont Lincoln University, whose mission is to find common threads among religious and ethical traditions while honoring the distinctiveness of each. Claremont Lincoln University is an ecumenical, interreligious institution that seeks to instill students with the ethical integrity, religious intelligence, and intercultural understanding necessary to become effective leaders in thought and action in the increasingly diverse, multi-religious world of the 21st century. As part of our commitment to these lofty goals the Academy for Jewish Religion California is sponsoring a series of seminars addressing the values and beliefs the three Abrahimic traditions share with each other.
We are delighted to invite you to attend the first seminar in the series entitled: The Children of Abraham: An exploration of the values and beliefs that Jews, Christians, and Muslims share with each other.
The meeting will consist of short presentations by Jerry Campbell, PhD, President of Claremont School of Theology, Jihad Turk, Director of Religious Affairs, The Islamic Center of Southern California, and Interim Dean, Bayan Graduate Program at Claremont Lincoln University, and Rabbi Mel Gottlieb, PhD, President of the Academy for Jewish Religion California. This will be followed by 45 minutes of Questions and Answers.
Date: Sunday March 25th from 5 to 7 p.m.
Location: Ytzhak Rabin Hillel Center for Jewish Life at UCLA, 574 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Parking: At UCLA, Lot 2 (Entrance on Westholme Ave)
Seating is Limited. Please reserve your seat today at jacobzighelboim@yahoo.com
MYG Co-Sponsors MPAC’s Concert in LA on March 3
On Saturday, March 3, the Muslim Public Affairs Council announced it is bringing together some of the top Muslim American artists for “Finding Soul Through Sound,” for a special concert in Los Angeles, which will showcase the cultural and artistic expressions of young Muslim Americans.
To be held at the Barnsdall Gallery Theater in Hollywood, the one-of-a-kind concert will feature the following trailblazing artists:
- Acclaimed hip-hop artist Brother Ali
- Emcee and spoken word artist Baraka Blue known for his contemporary and Sufi poetry
- Soul singer Bridget Barkan of Scissor Sister fame
- DJ Anas Canon, director of Remarkable Current and the Hip-Hop Ambassadors
- Syrian American hip-hop artist Omar Offendum
The evening’s emcees will be Ahmed Younis, named one of the 500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Centre, and Sireen Sawaf, an attorney who previously served as MPAC’s Southern California Government Relations Director.
This event follows the success of MPAC’s “Finding Soul Through Sound” concert in Washington, DC, which drew a packed house of more than 350 people for an energizing and inspiring night in December.
WHEN: Saturday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Barnsdall Gallery Theater
4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027
TICKETS: Starting at $25
Click here to purchase your tickets now!
For more information, please contact Deana Nassar, MPAC’s Hollywood Liaison, at deana@mpac.org or 323-258-6722.
Jihad Turk Represents American Muslims in State Department Trip to Morocco
By: Editor
Jihad Turk, in his capacity of Interim Dean of Bayan, an Islamic Graduate School of Claremont Lincoln University, was awarded a U.S. Speaker and Specialist Grant to participate in an Interfaith Dialogue program in Morocco from Feb. 20 – 29. This program will support the U.S. Embassy in Rabat’s outreach efforts to relay positive messages about Islam in the U.S., and how the U.S. government advocates interfaith cooperation.
Morocco’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments has praised the efforts of the U.S. Embassy inviting North American Imams to emphasize this message of tolerance and dialogue between different traditions. The program supports the goals of mutual understanding and partnership, as well as countering extremism.
Jihad has a full schedule. He will be speaking with students and faculty at University Mohammed V in Rabat, Dar Al Hadith Al Hassaniyya School of Theology, Al Qarawiyyin University School of Sharia, University Cadi Ayyad, and University Hassan II. He will also be meeting with a number of youth groups and dignitaries between his University speaking engagements.
Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
He will also visit Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. Inspired by the verse of the Qur’an that states, “the throne of Allah was built on water,” the mosque is built on reclaimed land with almost half of its surface above the Atlantic. Part of its floor is glass and offers a view down into the sea. Its minaret is the world’s tallest, and it can hold up to 105,000 worshipers.
UCLA Professor of Islamic Law Malignly Attacked
By: Khtija Khair
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl has become one of the world’s most prominent scholars in the field of human rights and Islamic law. Currently, he is a professor at UCLA’s School of Law teaching Islamic with a focus on International Human Rights, Islamic Jurisprudence, National Security Law, Law and Terrorism, Islam and Human Rights, and more. Despite his reliable ability to distinguish between radical viewpoints and fundamental teachings, Dr. Abou El Fadl has been senselessly attacked to be teaching from a “radical extremist” point of view in Islamic law.
Dr. Abou El Fadl was awarded the University of Oslo Human Rights Award and named a Carnegie Scholar in Islamic Law in 2005. An individual who has received such recognition proves his reliability, credibility, and that his teachings are profound. However, one UCLA alumnus believes otherwise. This individuals accused Dr. Abou El Fadl to be teaching improper and invalid information pertaining to moral ethics on Islamic law. This alumnus has launched a smearing campaign of Dr. Abou El Fadl and has encouraged other UCLA alumni to withdrawl their financial support from UCLA unless he is fired.
I am appalled and confounded as to why a man that was previously appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom, and also serve as a member of the Board of Directors of Human Rights Watch be perceived to be a radical extremist. Moreover, Dr. Abou El Fadl regularly works with human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights. He has been noted for his scholarly approach to Islam from a moral point of view and writes expansively on universal themes such as morality and ethics, human rights, justice, and mercy, and is especially known for his publications on the essential and principal moral value of Islam. And yet, students would like this teacher fired?
Perhaps these individuals have not read one of the books that he has written before making these allegations. His book, The Great Theft, focuses on authority, human rights, equality and beauty in Islam and Islamic law. It focuses on defining differences between moderate Muslims and Muslims who are known as fanatics or extremists. Perhaps these individuals should learn a thing or two about Dr. Abou El Fadl’s intention and teachings before creating buzz about a situation that has little support of evaluation. Students have become hesitant towards learning from Dr. Abou El Fadl, though should not be. The situation must be handled from the core before it leads to irrational and inconceivable results that can lead to a man’s future crumbling because of misconceptions.
Feb 18, 2012 Day of Remembrance: Defending Our Civil Liberties
By: Aziza Hassan, MPAC
The Day of Remembrance is an annual community event that marks the anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. That order led to the forced removal of thousands of people of Japanese ancestry from their homes and businesses on the West Coast and parts of Hawai`i. It ultimately led to the unlawful mass incarceration in domestic concentration camps of 120,000, two-thirds American-born citizens. Community groups in the 1970s and 1980s, in an effort to gain redress for the government’s unlawful actions, began organizing events to draw attention to the Japanese American World War II experience The tradition of Day Remembrance has continued as a way to tie the community’s history to current events and to support other ethnic and religious communities that face racial or religious discrimination.
This year’s program will include the traditional remembrance of the Issei and Nisei and of the camps, a performance piece including Japanese American and Muslim American voices, and keynote speaker Robin Toma, Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission.
Emcees: Shakeel Syed and Kei Nagao
Performance: Created and produced by Traci Kato-Kiriyama
For more information: Japanese American Citizens League-PSWD (213) 626-4471; Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress (213) 284-0336; the National Museum (213) 625-0414
Mawlid al-Nabi Celebration for ICSC Youth
By: Zeina Zein
The Borrowing Library and the PTA held a celebration for the birth of our Prophet (pbuh) on Sunday, February 12 to commemorate this immensely important date in Islamic history. Alhamdulillah, we had 70 kids who read more than 10 Islamic books or did a project, so thank you to all the parents who encourage their kids to take bigger steps in their Islamic education.
Dr. Saleh delivered an interactive discussion for the group. His inspiring talk really sparked intellectual pondering in everyone. Thanks to the the Youth Group, who gave us an enjoyable experience with their skit. They were funny, spontaneous, and absolutely brilliant! They cast a light on the celebration.
Br. Imran Assif put hours into creating the website for the library. Br Assif and his wonderful wife did so much more by putting every single library book on the website, available to search and learn more details about each particular book, from summary to ISBN code. Stay tuned for details about our website! Special thanks to Dr. Maggda AbdulRahman, for always being there for everyone in the Center. We can certainly attest to all the help you have given us into being what we are now.
I would like to thank the wonderful team who took the brute of the force by standing out in front and going above and beyond with the constant hours of volunteering and supporting to make the library what it is: our PTO President Khaled Ibdah, Dr. Maie St. John, Mrs. Dalal Antabli, Sis. Fatima Amer, Sis. Samin Atif, Dr. Amal Hassan, Sis. Heba Hamouda, Sis. Sanaa Alaam, Sis. Anya Abel, Sis. Myra Ibdah and Sis. Samin Arif.
May Allah reward all the wonderful volunteers who put so much time into making this great event what it has become.
General Membership Meeting and Board of Directors Election Results
By: Shirin Nouh
On Sunday, February 12, the ICSC held its Annual General Membership meeting. The assembly began at 11:30 am in the social hall of the Islamic Center. Alhamdulillah, it was a full house. Br. Samir Younis was the MC welcoming everyone to today’s meeting. Br. Saleh Kholaki read some verses from the Holy Quran. Next, Secretary of the Board, Habib Veera, read the minutes from last year’s meeting. Br. Usman Mohammad presented the Membership Committee report and welcomed the new members that were present at the meeting. Then, Sr. Hedab Tarifi presented the Nominating Committee report. She thanked the outgoing Board members: Br. Hassan Zeenni, Br. Mohammad Kamal, and Br. Samir Younis. She introduced this year’s nominees: Br. Saleh Kholaki, Sr. Shahbano Nawaz, Br. Azad Khan, and Br. Iqbal Hassan. Each of the four nominees gave a short talk.
Chairman, Hassan Zeenni presented his report. He thanked the Board, committee, and staff members for all their help and support throughout the year. He welcomed the audience to write their comments and suggestions. He went through the highlights of the year, which included: