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Chronology of Islam in America (2014)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
June 2014
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Hearing on Construction of Tenn. Mosque
June 2: U.S. Supreme Court rejected hearing an appeal regarding the county providing public notice before approving construction plans for the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, an ICM official reported today. “That means the lawsuit over adequate notice is now completely over, and Rutherford County has prevailed,” ICM board member Saleh Sbenaty said. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in Washington, D.C., notified the ICM about the nation’s top court turning down the case. “We always believed that justice would prevail in this country, and we always believe in our justice system,” Sbenaty said. “And we have no doubt whatsoever that our case would be served justice. Hopefully this will put the end of the division the so called opposition has created in our community, and our community will be stronger and united again.” [www.dnj.com]
9/11Museum's Al Qaeda film unfairly portrays Islam
June 2: For months preceding the National September 11 Memorial Museum 's grand opening in May, a seven-minute film to be installed at the museum, titled "The Rise of al Qaeda," had provoked strong condemnation from Muslim advocates for its references to Islam. Such concerns were mostly dismissed by museum officials, who said they were "satisfied" with the film's "objective" message. But less than two weeks into the museum 's opening, the New York Times reports tourists are echoing clergy members' concerns over language in the film -- one that critics say misrepresents terrorism and Islam as one. 22-year-old Adrian Cabreros, who was visiting from San Francisco, told the Times the film "kind of gives Islam a bad vibe." “I think they should have talked about Islam more , just so people understand that there is a difference between Islam and people who do terrorist attacks but who also happen to be Islamic,” Cabreros told the Times while visiting from San Francisco.....After previewing the film, groups including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on officials to drop it, alleging the film's narrative is ultimately harmful to the conversation surrounding Islam. "Generations of visitors to this facility will be influenced by the contents of the displays and the presentations," CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said in April. "It's going to be very important how Islam and the American Muslim community are portrayed." [The Huffington Post]
Hate attack on NY Muslim taxi driver
June 3: A hate-filled taxi passenger smashed a Pakistani cabbie in the face with a skateboard after asking the driver his nationality, the driver said today. Mohammad Ali Fahd suffered a fractured nose, facial cuts and swelling so severe he can’t open his left eye, authorities said. “He was trying to kill me,” said Fahd, 36, a father of two. “I hope they catch this guy.” The outburst distracted Fahd and he hit a pothole, he said. The cab driver then pulled into a gas station to assess the damage. An ambulance driver who was nearby chased the crazed passenger, who escaped on his skateboard, Fahd said. [The New York Daily News]
Islam is largest non-Christian faith in 20 states
June 4: In 20 states, mostly in the Midwest and South, Islam is the largest non-Christian faith tradition. And in 15 states, mostly in the Northeast, Judaism has the most followers after Christianity. Hindus come in second place in Arizona and Delaware, and there are more practitioners of the Baha’i faith in South Carolina than anyone else. Christianity is by far the largest religion in the United States; more than three-quarters of Americans identify as Christians. A little more than half of us identify as Protestants, about 23 percent as Catholic and about 2 percent as Mormon. But what about the rest of us? In the Western U.S., Buddhists represent the largest non-Christian religious bloc in most states. All these data come from the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, which conducts a U.S. Religion Census every 10 years. [Washington Post]
ADC protest over Forced Removal of Palestinian Football Fan in Houston, TX
June 5: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) today expressed concern over the forced removal of Ms. Buthayna Hammad from her seat by BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston Texas security solely because she was carrying the national flag of Palestine. This disturbing incident occurred during a football match between Honduras and Israel. Ms. Hammad was removed from her seat and escorted to a concession area, where she was detained for over 15 minutes by BBVA Compass Stadium Security. Ms. Hammad was surrounded by security and Houston Police Officers. When she pressed the officers as to why she was removed she was told that the flag was “a racial slur,” and it was “anti-sematic.” It is alleged that Mr. Nathan Buchanan, Security Manager at the stadium made the comment. Ms. Hammad merely brought the Palestinian flag to represent her own heritage as a proud Palestinian-American, which is by no means a crime. In a letter sent to the Mayor of Houston, the Houston City Council and the Houston Police Department, ADC said that, the BBVA Compass Stadium Security and the Houston Police Department’s action was a major and inexplicable infringement on Ms. Hammad’s civil liberties. The characterization of the flag as a “racial slur” is deeply offensive to Palestinians. Mr. Buchanan's statement marginalizes millions of Palestinian who share a history and culture. The notion that the flag of Palestine is a “racial slur” is discriminatory and has no place in our society. [ADC]
Man named Osama wins $4.7M lawsuit because co-worker
at Brooklyn store punched him, called him 'Bin Laden'
June 8: A federal jury awarded $4.7 million to a Yemeni-born man punched out and bullied by a co-worker who had repeatedly called him “Bin Laden” and “terrorist.” Osama Saleh was earning $7.15 per hour as a stock clerk at the Pretty Girl women’s clothing store on Knickerbocker Ave. in Brooklyn, but now he’s a millionaire because his bosses did nothing to stop the taunting and references to Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Saleh’s tormentor was James Robinson, a black security guard at the store who also ranted that he hated Arabs because they were “dirty” and that Saleh should go back to Yemen. Robinson pleaded guilty to assault for the attack in the store basement that left Saleh with a fractured cheekbone, and never responded to the lawsuit. A federal jury in Detroit awarded a Muslim man $1.2 million in February. Ali Aboubaker claimed he was called a terrorist and repeatedly passed over for promotions while working for Washtenaw County for 17 years. [New York Daily News]
Iman Kassim becomes Virginia State Trooper
June 9: Virginia State Police Lorton resident Iman Kassim, 22, today completed a rigorous 26-week training course and is now a Virginia State Trooper. Kassim, who was diagnosed at the age of three with Leukemia, says becoming a law enforcement officer and undergoing the training was a goal he set for himself after he was told by doctors at a young age that he might never walk again. “We were told that Iman is only the second Muslim in the history of the state police to have completed training,” said his father Mohammad Kassim. [Fairfax Times]
New umbrella Muslim group holds inaugural banquet
June 10: The United States Council of Muslim Organization (USCMO) held its inaugural banquet at the Hilton In Crystal City, VA. The founding organizations had announced the formation of the umbrella council in March 2014; the banquet was the official introduction for the Muslim community to a platform that promises to open effective communication between Muslim organizations in America and build a national vision. About 250 guests of the member organizations, leaders and imams of masajid, elected and government officials, dignitaries, civic and interfaith partners attended the banquet. Amongst them were Congressman Andre Carson, Congressman Keith Ellison, and Judge Hassan El Amin who also spoke on stage. Zahra Billoo, the Executive Director CAlR-San Francisco and Dr. Altaf Hussain, Professor at Howard University emceed the event. The event was sponsored by Helping Hands USA, and ICNA Relief. Founding members of USCMO include: The Mosque Cares (Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed); Muslim American Society (MAS); American Muslims for Palestine (AMP); Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR); Islamic Circle of North American (ICNA); Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA); Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA); Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA); American Muslim Alliance (AMA); and the Mosque Foundation (Chicago). [The Muslim Link]
Qurans burned in front of Dearborn mosque
June 11: Several Qurans were burned in front of a Dearborn mosque today in possible connection with anti- Islam Pastor Terry Jones’ visit to the city. The three books were burned in front of the Karbalaa Islamic Educational Center, 15332 West Warren Ave. The imam of the mosque, Sheikh Husham Al-Husainy, confirmed that the incident occurred and that police are investigating. Al-Husainy said he met with public safety officials, including the FBI and Dearborn’s police chief. “I’ve been in this mosque for 20 years, and this never happened," Al-Husainy said. The mosque is the center of Dearborn's Iraqi Shi'a community and is often visited by people interested in its history . Al-Husainy said visitors come each week and for group tours. Jones is visiting Dearborn to rally against Islamic Sharia law. [Press & Guide Newspapers]
CAIR launches D.C. bus ad campaign promoting interfaith unity
June 14: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today announced the launch of a campaign promoting interfaith unity to counter anti-Islam ads placed on Washington, D.C., area buses by a hate group led by Pamela Geller. CAIR also announced an online crowdfunding campaign to defray the cost of the ads, which were made necessary by Geller's false and hate-filled message. Geller's ad falsely claims that the Quran encourages Muslims to hate Jews. CAIR's ad, which is appearing on more than 20 buses on routes similar to those carrying Geller's hate advertisement, features a Christian, a Muslim and a Jew stating "this verse speaks for me" in reference to a verse from the Quran stressing Islam's respect for other faiths: "Verily, those who have attained to faith, as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians ... all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds - shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve." (2:62). During the news conference this morning at CAIR's Capitol Hill headquarters in Washington, D.C., Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders repudiated Geller's hate campaign and offered their own alternative message of inclusion and mutual understanding. Speakers included: (1) Rabbi Charles M. Feinberg, Congregation Adas Israel, Washington, D.C.; past co-chair of T'ruah (2) Rev. Ron Stief, executive director, National Religious Campaign Against Torture (3) Seth Morrison, who is featured in the ad (4) Nihad Awad, executive director, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) (4) Zainab Chaudry, chair, CAIR's Maryland outreach office [CAIR]
NY man charged with emailing murder threats to CAIR official
June 16: A New York City man was charged today with sending emails threatening to kill a leader of a Muslim civil rights group. The man, Bernhard Laufer, had been expected to appear later today in federal court in Brooklyn but instead was taken to the hospital for undisclosed reasons. According to a criminal complaint, Laufer began sending the emails last year to the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations. The group identified the recipient as its national executive director, Nihad Awad. Laufer, 56, was already facing attempted murder charges alleging he stabbed a man at a Queens mosque in 2012 while yelling, "I will kill you Muslim." He was out on $200,000 bail when he sent an email accusing the Muslim group of framing him, warning, "CAIR will now be destroyed," court papers say. In an email to Awad, he wrote, "I am coming after you, you jihad bastard," the papers say. In a third, he called himself a "mad man" who would "stop at nothing to kill you, your body guards and anybody else that is around you," they say. In a statement, CAIR called the case "another incident demonstrating the actual, imminent harm that can result from Islamophobia." [New York Daily News]
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