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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| US Muslim Groups Consider Boycotting Bush Iftaar |
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| Abu_Hamza |
| 10/27/03 at 23:28:35 |
| U.S. Muslim Groups Consider Boycotting Bush Iftar By Mustafa Abdel Halim, IOL Staff http://www.islamonline.net WASHINGTON, October 27 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - U.S. Muslim organizations are considering to boycott an annual White House Iftar in protest at President George W. Bush's internal and foreign policies. The boycott calls are sponsored by four small Muslim organizations, including Project Islamic H.O.P.E, and Muslim Electorate's Council of America. "If we attend the dinner, this will be used to validate all for President George W. Bush's policy at home and abroad, which the best words to describe are harmful and disastrous," Rashad Ali, of the Project Islamic, told IslamOnline.net Monday, October 27. Ali dismissed Bush's greetings sent to world Muslims for the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan this week, accusing the move as tactical before the coming Presidential elections and after the widely-criticized invasion of Iraq. "So, we call on Muslim American leadership to send a message to President Bush that we will no longer suffer and be mistreated by his administrations unfair domestic and foreign policies," he said. The reaction to the boycott calls have not yet been clear, but CAIR, the largest Islamic civil rights and advocacy group in the U.S., is yet to decide on the issue. Other Islamic leaders in the United States believed the boycott is rather of a symbolic significance. "It could show the administration could stand united, but it has much less of tangible effects as Iftar is not the end of the road between Islamic organizations and the administration," a prominent figure of a leading Islamic organization told IOL, on condition of anonymity. “But still, the boycott calls should be taken seriously, as there are great dissatisfaction among Muslim Americans with the Bush administration's record of human rights and a biased foreign policy,” he added. "Bush and his administration’s failure to address American Muslims domestic and foreign policy concerns can no longer be accepted," read a press news release carried by CAIR, whose leaders were keen to assure IOL that it still considers the whole issue, promising a final say Tuesday morning. "President Bush's public statements have consistently portrayed Islam as a peaceful religion that has been hijacked by the forces of terrorism. But his official policies have done little to mark that distinction," it added. The statement said the White House recess appointment of Daniel Pipes to the board of directors of the U.S. Institute of Peace, was a slap in the face to the Muslim community. Pipes has a long documented history of attacking Islam and a number of Islamic, Christian, Jewish, and interfaith groups as well as a number of editorial boards including the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune all opposed the nomination of Pipes. But Bush ignored the calls to rescind the appointment. The statement also made a mention of the Defense Department inviting the Rev Franklin Graham, to deliver the 2003 Good Friday homily at the Pentagon. Graham has called Islam a "Very evil and wicked religion" bent on "world domination", read the statement, adding many Islamic groups urged the Pentagon chaplain's office to disinvite the clergyman, but to no avail. The Bush administration also refused to reassign William G. Boykin whose promotion and confirmation was confirmed by the Senate in June, after he said publicly that he sees the God of Muslims as no more than an "idol". Boykin praised along in the statements the leadership of President Bush, whom he extolled as "a man who prays in the Oval Office." The statement also said the Bush administration unfair foreign policy is responsible for the deaths of innocent Muslims overseas. Introspection Bush said in the Friday message to Muslims that Ramadan " provides Muslims a time to focus on their faith and practice God's commands". "Through fasting, prayer, contemplation, and charity, Muslims around the world renew their commitment to lead lives of honesty, integrity, and compassion," the U.S. President was quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP) as saying. Bush reiterated his belief that Islam was a peaceful religion, and people who practice the Islamic faith have made great contributions to the welfare of the United States and the world. "As Americans, we cherish our freedom to worship and we remain committed to welcoming individuals of all religions," the president continued. "By working together to advance freedom and mutual understanding, we are creating a brighter future of hope and opportunity," he added. But many American Muslim citizens and leaders received the speech a bit spastically, saying it is nothing but a lip service. "It is not important what Bush says, but what he does," said Ali of Project Islamic The start of the holy month during which Muslims refrain from food until sunset depends on the lunar calendar and the sighting of the new moon, which can vary from country to country. In Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Sudan and Yemen, Sunday marked the beginning of the fast. In the six Gulf monarchies - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman - as well as Lebanon, Syria and Shiite Iran, Ramadan began Monday. |
| Re: US Muslim Groups Consider Boycotting Bush Ifta |
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| Ruh |
| 10/31/03 at 22:18:42 |
| [slm] Does anyone know what CAIR decided? wassalam |
| Re: US Muslim Groups Consider Boycotting Bush Ifta |
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| bhaloo |
| 10/31/03 at 23:58:39 |
| [slm] They weren't invited. http://www.washtimes.com/national/20031028-103856-4806r.htm |
| Re: US Muslim Groups Consider Boycotting Bush Ifta |
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| jannah |
| 11/01/03 at 02:31:39 |
| [wlm] I was sent a list of the people who did attend, but can't remember which elist that was from and now I can't find it... But interestingly it was like 20 people on the list.. and they were like college professors and their wives (one who went to college with my dad.. very odd) and a few other strange out there organizations... including kabbani of the bogus "islamic supreme council of america" who i'm sure bush loves :( all around sad... and i think it's very significant that they didn't invite ISNA or CAIR or MSA or MAS or ICNA or any other mainstream Islamic organization with millions of Muslims. Muslims in the US are definitely fedup by the gov't and even worse frustrated and even worse that frustration is turning into anger and then to frustration again because it doesn't seem like we can do anything. I guess we shouldn't even expect any justice in this world and so we just continue doing what Allah told us to do in struggling for what's right, doing dawah and being the best of servants. In the end, we let Allah sort it out, but I for one this Ramadan am making some hard dua about the situation of the Muslims in the world. 'hope everyone joins me inshaAllah ahhh found it.. here it is MUSLIM ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS WHO ATTENDED THE PRESIDENT’S IFTAAR DINNER 1. Dr. Azizah Y. Al-Hibri, President and Executive Director, Karamah 2. Dr. Ziad Asali, President of the American Task Force on Palestine 3. Miss Sadia Asghar, Project Director, Iraq for Chemonics 4. Dr. Yahya Mossa Basha, President, American Muslim Council 5. Mr. Shahid Javid Burki, CEO, Emerging Markets Partners 6. Ms. Sherine El-Abd, President, Egyptian American Professionals Society 7. Dr. Malik Hasan, Chairman, Council of American Muslim Understanding 8. Mrs. Seeme Gull Hasan, Chairman, Hasan Family Foundation 9. Dr. Zameer Hasan, Temple University 10. Mrs. Soraya Hasan, Spouse of Dr. Zameer Hasan 11. Mr. Nazir A. Ibrahim, President, Los Angeles Chapter, Islamic Free Market Institute 12. Mr. Ali Jawad, President, Armada Oil and Gas, and Founder, Lebanese-American Heritage Club 13. Shaykh Hicham Muhammad Kabbani, Chairman, Islamic Supreme Council of America 14. Mr. Farooq Kathwari, Chief Executive Officer, Ethan Allen Inc. 15. Imam Faizul Khan, Islamic Center of the Washington Area 16. Mr. Khaled Saffuri, Chairman, Islamic Free Market Institute 17. The Honorable George Salem, Chairman, Arab American Institute and, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 18. Professor Raza Tahir-Kheli, Temple University 19. Mr. Adil Zainulbhai, Director, McKinsey & Company |
| 11/01/03 at 02:34:31 |
| jannah |
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