Why are American Muslims Critical of CAIR?

Last updated on: June 28, 2012 at 10:04 pm By Guest Contributor

By Rabia Chaudry A month ago Altmuslim published part one of a two-part series on the attacks and controversy surrounding the Council on American-Islamic Relations, better known as CAIR. The article received much feedback and interest, primarily from CAIR employees and volunteers and other Muslim activists. It seemed to strike many chords, both good and bad, and bring to the surface heretofore unspoken tensions within and outside CAIR. While the objective of the first article was to explain the history behind... Read more

How an Accusation of Terrorism Destroys American Muslim Lives

Last updated on: June 27, 2012 at 7:48 pm By Guest Contributor

By Sahar Aziz At the Brookings’ U.S. Islamic World Forum in Doha, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough was asked whether President Obama would implement his Cairo speech commitment to stop government discrimination against American Muslims. Because Bush’s counterterrorism practices had stigmatized Muslims as the most distrusted minority in America, Obama’s pledge was particularly salient. But instead of vowing to stop Obama’s continuation of Bush’s policies, McDonough pointed to American Muslims’ success in business and the professions. Rather than address... Read more

Morsi Wins in Egypt, A Win for the Revolution

Last updated on: June 25, 2012 at 2:52 pm By Guest Contributor

By Mark LeVine In the 18 months since February 11, 2011, the military has squandered almost all of the goodwill that remained with the Egyptian people. True, some still support the military, either because they’re part of the economic elite, the bloated security system, or are tied to both through patronage networks. The plight of Coptic Christians, who fear Islamist power even more than a government that has massacred them with impunity, is even more tragic. But for most Egyptians,... Read more

Pakistani NGO Making a World of Difference

Last updated on: June 21, 2012 at 9:11 pm By Guest Contributor

By Muqtedar Khan These days it seems that all news coming from Pakistan is bad news. Extremism has not abated, violence is recurrent, and U.S.-Pakistan relations seem to be stuck in a downward spiral. But, last week I had a fortuitous encounter with good news from Pakistan. I was in Amman, Jordan to give a lecture and conduct research. While there I met a very interesting man in the hotel lobby — Syed Shah, who hailed from Pakistan. We had a... Read more

The Revolution Continues with Egyptian Elections

Last updated on: June 20, 2012 at 9:25 pm By Guest Contributor

By Lamia El-Sadek The presidential election in May was the last thread of hope for millions of Egyptians. The following report was written right after the first round of elections. Most recently, Egypt’s election commission has delayed Thursday’s planned announcement of the results from a run-off vote between Ahmed Shafiq, the former prime minister, and Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate amidst complaints of campaign violations and disputed voter counting. The following report was written after the first round the... Read more

The Raw Deal for Muslim Dads

Last updated on: June 18, 2012 at 4:43 pm By Guest Contributor

In the Name of the Compassionate and Infinitely Merciful Precious Beloved This year’s Father’s Day is extra special for me: for one thing, I have the weekend off, and thus I can spend the day with my family and not have to worry about rounding and taking hospital call. More importantly, however, is that I will spend it with our newest addition: our son, Zacharia. I am so very grateful for his arrival to our family. Yet, as I reflect... Read more

Combatting Islamophobia and Preserving Religious Freedom in Tennessee

Last updated on: June 13, 2012 at 9:24 pm By Guest Contributor

By Remziya Suleyman Last year when anti-shariah legislation was introduced in Tennessee, I never imagined it would awaken our community as it did. But now the community alliance that was forged in that struggle is facing its greatest test in protecting the expansion of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro. At a time in American history when Muslims around the country continue to be portrayed in a negative spotlight, the Tennessee Muslim community and allies rallied in one of our state’s... Read more

Action Alert – Follow Friday #ThankYou Campaign on Twitter for NYPD Lawsuit

Last updated on: June 8, 2012 at 7:35 pm By Guest Contributor

By Fatemeh Fakhraie Wednesday, Muslim Advocates launched Hassan v. The City of New York, a lawsuit seeking to prove that the New York City Police Department’s surveillance of Muslims in New Jersey is unconstitutional. Several lawmakers have also petitioned the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into FBI violations of constitutionally-protected rights of American Muslims. We in the American Muslim community are grateful for those who work with us and for us to defend the civil liberties of all... Read more

Conference Reveals Engaged Muslim Youth in America

Last updated on: June 13, 2012 at 8:54 pm By Guest Contributor

By Omama Altaleb Upon hearing the words “Muslim Youth,” my mind automatically drifts to a negative connotation — a connotation in which I see another Muslim brother on my college campus flirting with a group of girls in shorts and miniskirts; a connotation that retraces a Facebook picture of a Muslim girl in a short, red dress seducing the camera with her boyfriend on her tattooed arm. However, after attending the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) #OccupyDeen youth conference... Read more

Muslims Cannot Remain Silent on the Issue of Child Abuse

Last updated on: June 1, 2012 at 7:41 pm By Guest Contributor

By Karla Kellam A little over a month ago, on April 17, a ten-year-old Muslim boy named Abdifatah Mohamud was brutally murdered in Buffalo, NY by his stepfather — beaten to death more than 70 times with a rolling pin. The stepfather admitted to ” … binding the boy’s hands, stuffing a sock into his mouth, duct taping the boy’s mouth and beating him to death” Abidifatah himself had made two frantic calls to 911 the year before he died, pleading for... Read more