In August of 2009, 63% of Americans polled said that the U.S. does need to support Israel. In June of this year, 58% of respondents shared the same view; by July only 51% of respondents said the U.S. needed to support Israel.

Only 19% of German respondents said they felt “warm” or “very warm” feelings toward Israel, while 50% responded they experienced “very cold” or unfavorable feelings toward Israel.

In France, the data were a little better, but Israel did not achieve widespread public support there either: 24% said they felt “warm” or “very warm” feelings toward Israel, while 31% felt “cold” or “very cold” feelings toward it.

Meanwhile, in Sweden, the situation was similar to that in Germany, with 49% percent saying their feelings toward Israel were “cold” or “very cold.”

Read full article: U.S. Support for Israel is Decreasing

Watch the full interview with developer Sharif El-Gamal: http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/politics/123935/story

ACTION ALERT

(BAY AREA 06/30/2010) –  Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Thousand Oaks, introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 117, which declares California’s support of Israel’s deadly May 31 attack on the Freedom Flotilla. The bill also affirms the state’s support of Israel’s siege on Gaza and its “right to protect and defend itself.”

The American Muslims for Palestine asks its supporters in California to call their sate senators and demand this bill be defeated in committee.

The Freedom Flotilla, a fleet of nine vessels bound for Gaza with more than 10,000 pounds of donated humanitarian and medical supplies, was attacked by Israel while in international waters. Nine unarmed humanitarian activists were killed; several others were injured. Israeli commandoes arrested and detained the nearly 800 surviving activists.

Sen. Strickland calls these peace-loving civil resistance volunteers “terrorists.”

“Israel has every right to ensure their country and their people are kept safe from terrorists. …Just like every other country in the world, Israel has the absolute right to defend itself,” Strickland said in a press release.

“That Sen. Strickland would compare these unarmed, humanitarian activists to terrorists is unconscionable,” said Dr. Hatem Bazian, chairman of American Muslims for Palestine and professor of near eastern and ethnic studies at the University of California, Berkeley. “What Mr. Strickland is doing is taking the focus off of Israel’s illegal actions in international waters that resulted in the deaths of nine innocent people and the illegal detention of hundreds more. It is unthinkable that in the land of freedom and justice, we would have an elected official that would not only praise such rogue behavior but would sponsor a bill officially sanctioning it.”

TAKE ACTION

SCR 117 has moved to the Senate Rules Committee for assignment. It is imperative that supporters of justice in California call upon the members of the Rules Committee to keep this bill from advancing.

• Call your state senators and demand this bill be defeated. Find your senator by clicking here.

• Attend the next Rules Committee meeting. The committee meets at 1:30 p.m. every Wednesday in Room 113 in the California State Capitol building.
• Contact the Rules Committee members to demand the defeat of this bill. Senators on the committee are: Darrell Steinberg (chair); Samuel Aanestad (vice chair);  Gilbert Cedillo; Robert Dutton; Jenny Oropeza. Get their contact info at http://www.senate.ca.gov/ftp/sen/committee/STANDING/RULES/_home1/PROFILE.HTM.

TALKING POINTS

• Israel’s siege on Gaza is illegal and has no basis in international law
• 90 percent of Gazans rely upon the United Nations for food aid
• Israel allows in less than 25 percent of needed and necessary humanitarian items
• The passengers of the Freedom Flotilla were unarmed civilians trying to take items such as wheelchairs and prefabricated homes to Gaza
• Israeli commandoes killed nine unarmed civilians in international waters, a grave breach of international law
• One of the dead was an American citizen.

The American Muslims for Palestine is a national, grassroots organization whose mission is to educate the American public about issues relating to Palestine and its rich cultural heritage. For more information, contact Kristin Szremski, director of media and communications, at 708.598.4267, ext. 22 or media@ampalestine.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . To learn more, go to www.ampalestine.org.

The “Trees for Life- Planting Peace in Palestine” initiative was launched in the summer of 2006 with a clear goal in mind: to offset destruction caused onto olive groves in Palestine by replanting olive trees, a symbol of peace. Better yet, to replant hope into the hearts of Palestinians who lost it when they lost their only source of income at the hands of the Isreali Army. This year UCLA’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and United Arab Society (UAS) student groups decided to take part in this humanitarian effort of restoring peace where it is lost.

The campaign was launched in the summer of 2006 by the Olive Co-operative in conjunction with the Palestine Free Trade Association (PFTA) and Zaytoun, a non-profit organization, to provide the public with an opportunity to get involved. Not many people know that about 1 million olive trees have been destroyed in Palestine since 1967 and about 500,000 olive trees since 2000 due to settlement, settlement road building and the construction of the new Separation Wall by Israel and its army. This, obviously, represents a huge problem for Palestinian families who have been depending on the harvesting of olive oil, fruit and wood for their only source of income. This in turn, not only hurts agriculture in Palestine, but the already devastated economy, as well.

“People often assume that because we live so far away from Palestine, there is not much we can directly do. I was excited to come across a fundraiser that I knew would provide individuals with the satisfaction of being able to assist the Palestinians in their struggle for survival,” Ghaleb Attrache, Treasurer of U.A.S. Not only does this campaign provide a median for supporting struggling Palestinians, but it makes donating very accessible. Anyone wishing to donate to the cause can submit their donation on-line or send a check to the organization.

However, with the submission dead line coming close, SJP and UAS decided to take action, fast. For two days, Wednesday and Thursday the 18th and 19th, the same days of the UC Reagants Protests, the two student groups fundraised on Bruinwalk. As incentive the clubs made a tree on which donors could place their names. After donating money, individuals wrote their names on the paper leaves and pinned the leaves on the branches of the tree. Along side the tree, which sat on one of two tables, a Palestinian flag hung.

Each $25 dollars raised replants one tree and for every $100, five trees will be replanted. Although the fundraiser received multiple generous donations, the majority of the funds raised came from small donations of as little as $1.00.

“We initially set a goal of raising $200 over a span of two days because frankly, we didn’t know what kind of reaction and support we would receive from the UCLA community, especailly with the tuition-hike protests going on simultaneously,” Attrache.

After two days of fundraising, however, UAS and SJP came out with $350.

“We were able to raise enough money to plant over a dozen olive trees in Palestine and we gained campus wide support, not limited to individuals who were pro-Palestinians and Arabs,” Ursula Barghouth, President of SJP.

Actually, they raised enough money to re-plant seventeen olive trees.

“This went above and beyond expectations, and definitely added to our overall satisfaction with our humanitarian effort,” Attrache.

“One of the main reasons we feel we got such a positive response is because ‘Trees for Life’ is humanitarian.” The fundraiser was not political and did not carry an offensive or negative message. “Olive trees are both economically and culturally important to palestinians. Who can say no to replanting a symbol of hope?” Barghouth.

According to Positive News, “The trees will be distributed in Palestine by the PFTA to farmers who follow fair trade guidelines and who will benefit from future purchases of Palestinian olive oil.” More information on how recipients of the trees are selected is available on-line at http://www.olivecoop.com/trees-for-life/.

When asked about additional U.A.S./ S.J.P. participation in humanitarian efforts, both groups responded optimistically.

“In my opinion, all educational events towards Palestine are humanitarian. Screening a film exposing the injustice, informational displays out on bruin walk, a pannel discussion, comedy show, benifit dinner…I feel it all helps the palestinian cause,” Barghouth

In general, “The United Arab Society is always willing to participate in humanitarian efforts; whether it be an Arab or non-Arab cause. We work with many other clubs and organizations on campus, so whatever other projects arise, we will utilize our resources to help out in any way,” Attrache.

Seems like one more event at UCLA, put on by Bruins and showing their ability to take an initiative and be the change they want to see in the world.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

     The 11th Annual MSA West Conference was recently held at UC Riverside. For me personally, it was my first annual MSA West Conference, and to be perfectly honest, I was not as excited before the event as I should”ve been. When I had first registered for it, I was thinking, Man, a whole weekend wasted (stakhfar”Allah)¹?, and I was arrogant and ignorant enough to believe that it really was not going to benefit me”I mean, what more could the speakers and various workshops tell me, that I didn”t already know? Subhan”Allah²,  this train of thought quickly changed.

     One of the Arabic words used to describe human beings in the Qur”an is insaan. It comes from the verb, nasia, which means to forget, and, subhan”Allah, we truly are forgetful. This is exactly what happened to me, because what I thought I already knew, I had actually forgotten. This sounds a bit complex, but it isn”t. For example, I know that there is oppression and an illegal occupation taking place in Palestine right now, but I forgot that I could make others aware and write letters to our political leaders; I know malaria is infecting and killing countless Africans, but I forgot that it was easily preventable and that I could do something to help. See the pattern? It is always easy to gain knowledge and to know, but it is so much easier to forget the potential of that knowledge to do some good. We are so focused on our lives that the problems plaguing this world seem to wander off into the dark cellars of our mind. We are aware of the problems, we just choose to not to do anything about it. Thus, we need constant reminder that they still linger and that there are a myriad (word of the day) of options and resources we can utilize to help those in need. After the reminder, we get pumped up and inspired, but then, weeks later, we forget again. Then we are reminded again, then we feel inspired again, then we forget again, and so forth, and so forth. But when is this cycle going to stop dragging on? When are we going to stop waiting for the reminder, and instead, be the reminder? I know we are called insaan, but this is just one of the words Allah uses to describe us. You know another one? I”ll give you a hint”this word refers to a certain group of people, specifically the believers. Exactly”Muslims. We are Muslims, and as Muslims we are obligated to gain knowledge and transform that knowledge into action, instead of harboring it inside. After all, Islam, when practiced properly, is the only way of life that is immune to forgetting, as we are constantly in a state of dhikr³ of Allah and our Ummah⁴.  It is the foundation which cannot crumble and it is the best foundation to begin taking action from.

     Brothers and Sisters, the most important lesson I learned from MSA West Conference is that before 9/11, we were so active, but ever since that fateful day, we have been too afraid to step up and be the voice this world needs. We are all capable”we all have Allah, and from Allah, we are blessed with resources, like schools and masajid. It is just a matter of understanding and utilizing that knowledge, and serving as that constant reminder for the entire world to see.  

     Anything I said that you agreed with or liked”that is a blessing from Allah, and anything I said that you disagreed with or did not like”that from my own shortcomings. Jazakum Allahu Khairan.   

¹I seek forgiveness from Allah.
²Glory be Allah
³Remembrance
⁴Muslim community

www.guardian.co.uk

by Yousef Farsakh

As the situation in Gaza deteriorates and the world’s superpower endorses the growing violence by not bringing accountability to Israel’s actions, many have forgotten about the humanitarian blockade of the West Bank. While not remotely as deadly and evil as the blockade, siege, and now massacre in Gaza, the world must not forget that Israel’s support for Abbas’ Fatah government has not prevented them from continuing the illegal confiscation of Palestinian freedom and humanitarian right.
I write about this just as I complete a one-week medical mission in Nablus, Palestine with two American doctors through the Palestine Children Relief Fund. The objective of this mission was to complete 28 pediatric urology surgeries on complex medical cases from all around the West Bank. My first glimpse of Israeli cooperation and compassion was the six and a half hours my Arab American colleague and I spent being questioned at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. After questioning every aspect of our identity and upbringing as well as relations with the state of Israel, we were released to our patient driver awaiting our final arrival. Upon our arrival initially in Ramallah and then Nablus, we discovered that the medical equipment, instruments, and supplies that the doctor brought with him were confiscated at the airport.
Perhaps one of our biggest obstacles that eventually proved too large to be overcome actually ended up being one of our most aspiring inspirations. I say this for a few reasons. Pediatric urologist Dr. Balcom decided to declare his personal and medical items to Israeli customs. Following questions regarding the future use of the instruments, the doctor reported that they would be utilized in a volunteer medical mission in one of Palestine’s largest hospitals, Rafidia Hospital, as part of a scheduled PCRF mission. With this information at hand, the Israeli customs made the decision to withhold the bags of supplies.
Once we all met in Nablus and were able to organize, we began efforts to recover the bags. Mrs. Balcom was very active in this process and initiated a contact and interchange with the American consulate and embassy. The process proved unpromising as the blunt nature of Israeli control reared its hypocritical head. Customs officials instructed the American embassy that, because of what these items will be used for, and where they are going, tax needs to be paid on the entry and exit of the instruments. Additionally, our organization will need to have a signed letter from the Minister of Health of the Palestinian Authority stating who’s supplies these are, how and where they will be used, and that none of the items will stay in Palestine or be donated to the hospital. These conditions effectively told us that we would not get out supplies, and to give up on the bags. Because of this, the doctors began to use local instruments and adapted to the present circumstances.
This had a positive effect because of the reflection and impression it left on the local doctors. For the American doctors to use the same local instruments, and with them perform the advanced surgeries, the local Palestinian doctors gain confidence with regard to their own performance as well. By the end of the mission, these Palestinian doctors were doing the same work our doctors were.
But our efforts to retrieve the items did not end with the initial Israeli demands. After continuous efforts put forth by Mrs. Balcom, who is a practicing paralegal, Hana Abdeen, a PCRF social worker out of Nablus, as well as myself, contact with the hospital’s executive director allowed us a path to reach the Minister of Health. Surprisingly, after half of the mission had already gone by, we were able to secure the letter and had it forwarded from the American embassy to the Israelis. The response from Israel was that we now need a letter from the Minister of Health of the State of Israel. It was very typical of Israeli political discourse and dealings with Palestinian or pro-Palestinian human rights organizations. Despite this, our mission was a success and thanks to the doctors, many children received critical surgeries and will make good and swift recoveries.
I would like to thank the Palestine Children Relief Fund and Steve Sosebee for their work and persistence despite the hostile and illegal actions of Israel. I would like to thank the doctors who go through these situations and come out with more resolve to do good, despite the Israeli violations of human rights. Moreover, I would also like to thank the donors who make all of this possible and who should rest assured that their money is doing remarkable and essential work in many places and for many people.

Many of us have heard the word Hajj and know that it is the fifth pillar of Islam. Ask people what kind of experience it is and you”ll hear a wide variety of responses such as spiritual, beautiful, difficult, crowded, etc. What does Hajj mean? Hajj literally means “to set out for a place” (islamicity.com). It”s a trip where one sets out do get closer to Allah.
In Hajj you”re tracing the footsteps of Abraham. The rituals in Hajj are almost entirely about the life of Ibrahim (as). In Surah As-Saffat, Allah (swt) mentions the immense sacrifices of Ibrahim (as). Verse 84 of that Surah is an encapsulation of the life of Ibrahim (as) and the Hajj experience at large. That is, to purify the heart from any worldly attachment and to fill it with love for Allah (swt). Allah (swt) also mentions the recompense of Ibrahim (as) in verse 109 and that is that for all of eternity Ibrahim (as) will be in a state of peace. This parallel to Hajj is further strengthened by the Hadith of the Prophet (s) in that the reward of an accepted Hajj is jannah.?
When a pilgrim sets out for hajj, they enter the state of Ehram. Meaning they wear the white shrouds, representing their death clothes, and abstains from many things such as putting any perfume or using scented shampoo. Men can”t wear stitched clothes. When you are becoming muhrim you are in your death bed. You put on death clothes or your kafan on. You say labayk! You are now dead!? Maryam Moaddel claims. When a hajji starts out towards the journey they keep on saying labayk? meaning they are responding to Allah”s invitation.
The first act one does when stepping into Masjid Al-Haraam is tawaaf. Tawaaf means circulating the Kaaba seven times. When performing this act, one is immersed in full tawheed. A person realizes that many times in their life they have been circulating different things, themselves, money, position, their job, etc. and with tawaaf they realize that their life needs to be circulating around their creator, Allah (swt). In that state one see”s everybody as one, with one goal, one clothing , and one Lord.

The Ka”ba itself is such a peaceful site. Many come back saying how much bigger it is in real life then what it seems from the pictures. Reciting the Quran there is highly recommended especially since it”s the location were Angel Jibrael (Gabriel) brought the revelation of the Quran. Also Masjid Al-Haram is a place of peace which nobody can even harm the insects or animals that enter. Some report how animals such as cats have came in and people just act nicely to them. Many say that you can see birds also circulating the ka”aba.
Afterwards the pilgrims head for Saei, which are the two mountains of Safa and Marwah. This is the place that Hajar, the wife of Ibrahim, went running back and forth searching for water for her son. Eventually the spring of Zamzam emerged under the feet of her son. Muslims walk between the two mountains seven times. After performing that act Muslims do taqsir, meaning that they either cut or clip off some of their nail or hair. This act can symbolizes the constant state of movement one needs in their life and how a muslim should never remain like a swamp; in other words their faith and each day of their life should be changing day by day. Maryam Moaddel recalls: You are Hajar, you are looking for your Zamzam. Your Zamzam is Allah. Thirst is getting to you. This is a different type of thirst were it hits your heart not the throat. Everywhere you look you see your Zamzam, so you go toward it but you find it only was an, image or a sign of Him. His signs are ever present were ever you look, the sky, the moon, the stars… all are signs of His presence. Finally you give up after walking 7 times back and forth. . You find that all along this ZamZam was closer to you then your jugular vain. Howa Makom Aynama kontaom. He is with you, wherever you are. You find that He was close to you and you were far from Him. You had to shorten this distance with your sayih. Finally you reach Him, the only one that can make you happy, the one that can help you the most, the one that you can trust the most.?
The parts mentioned previously are the parts a person performs if they are performing Hajj Umrah. If one sets off for Hajj Wajib, after these parts they also go to Muzdalafeh, Arafaat, and Mina. The Hajjis head for Arafaat, which is on the bottom of Mount Arafaat. In Muzdalafeh based on the sect you follow you stay a certain portion of the night.

There are no tents or shade so it is a barren ground filled with hajjis. Then the hajjis head for Mina, which they stay for three days and do the jamarat. In Jamarat hajjis hit 7 stones at each pole, which are the places where Satan appeared to Ibrahim and tried to deceive him.
Despite all this spirituality Hajj has many other angles. People come back with suitcases full of things they have bought. Once a person steps out of the Mosque there are stores and people on the sidewalk selling things. There are many American chain stores such as KFC and Baskin Robins found there. Many talk is amongst people about where and what price to buy different things.
Hajj has moments filled with hunger, exhaustion and frustration. Madji mentions how for a whole day all they ate was a banana and cookies. She says: We were hungry, tired, and frustrated and I kept on thinking were is the tafakur in hajj. I”m suppose to think about creator the creator and not about these materialistic things. Then little did I know that the lesson was in that. ?The hardship of physically carrying your body to do all the rituals and also bear with the dirtiness, sleepless condition, and food is part of the whole test in hajj.

It is from the Prophets sunnah to visit the city of Madina before or after hajj. Madina has a very different atmosphere. As much as Mecca is rocky and crowded, Madina is very flat and calm. It has a very peaceful atmosphere. The shrine of Prophet Muhammad shines from far away with its green tomb. The women and men taste different experiences. Women are only allowed to the main part of the shrine certain hours a day and are categorized per country for going in. As Madji mentions: After they announced that women can go in, they said we won”t let you in until you get into groups so they had around two dozens signs and they had people divided based on nationality and who goes on. That was disrespectful. First of all not all countries were represented such as Senegal and America. I asked them where is the group for America, they responded “oh no”, and they are always nicer to you if they knew you are from America. I can”t believe they divided you based on nationality. Also the amount that people were rude was insane. Its not about the destination, its about the journey and I thought maybe if you keep your akhlaq is better than getting closer to the shrine and shoving people.
Is Hajj really the utopia and place of ultimate beauty and seeking Allah? A person is required to do Hajj once in their lifetime. Allah commands the believers to to pray 5 times a day and each prayer has a particular effect for that amount of time until the next prayer time comes in. However with Hajj, the journey generally occurs once in a believer”s lifetime. Therefore, it is up to the believer to capitalize -to the highest capacity- on all the wonders and blessings that exist in Hajj. Thus the dimensions of serenity in Hajj are heightened relative to one”s heart. ¢

The Facts: The Simon Wiesenthal  Center, which has built the Museum  of Tolerance here in LA, has been issued the permit to build a Museum of  Tolerance in Jerusalem. There is some tension behind this because many believe that it is on a Muslim cemetery. This issue ought to be judged with knowledge, said Ran Boytner, an Israeli-born archaeology professor here at UCLA. After interviewing the opposing sides, namely the Museum of Tolerance and the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Los   Angeles, with the additional help of Ran Boytner, the truth finally emerged. The reason is because each said the opposite thing when asked if the Museum of Tolerance was to be built on top of a Muslim cemetery.

Ran Boytner affirmed that the site they are going to build on is a Muslim cemetery and that the cemetery will be removed and reburied elsewhere. It”s definitely a Muslim cemetery, there”s no question about that,? he said. He said that it was partially covered by a parking lot sixty years ago, and while the reasons for the building of that car park are nebulous, the fact is that there is a car park there that is on top of what was once a cemetery.

CAIR made it very clear that it is a Muslim cemetery there. This is the whole reason they are against it. Munira Syeda, a representative of CAIR-Los   Angeles, said, “we never said, ‘don’t build,’ we just want it to be moved elsewhere. Not doing so will further the tension and animosity between Muslim and Jewish communities. Companions of Prophet Muhammad and other famous Muslim scholars are said to be buried there. So, obviously the site has a special religious significance for Muslims, aside from having archaeological value.” She said that this Museum will be a good thing, and it has good intentions, and it is just the placement of this Museum that is the issue”being that it is atop a Muslim cemetery. It would not be tolerant, both Boytner and Syeda noted, for a Museum of Tolerance to build on top of a Muslim cemetery.

However, when I spoke to the Museum of Tolerance, they said it is definitely not a cemetery that they are going to build on. Liebe Geft, the director of the Museum  of Tolerance in Los   Angeles, who is also involved with the content in the museum in Jerusalem, said that, “were this the case, we would not proceed.” Clearly, they are proceeding, so maybe there is no cemetery. She also added that the site has been Jerusalem”s main parking lot since the 1960s; this parking lot is the same one that Boytner mentioned covered the cemetery. The Museum are the ones with the floor plans, and the site maps, so it makes sense that they really know where they actually are going to build. CAIR, on the other hand, said that the Museum was spreading false information, and that it is indeed on a cemetery. In fact, during the museum”s excavation of the site in 2006, more than 250 skeletons were unearthed. There”s no dispute about the existence of the cemetery,? Syeda said. She also urged the Wiesenthal Center to accord respect to non-Jewish cemeteries, as it does to Jewish cemeteries. The group spent 15 years forcing the removal of a Catholic convent from Auschwitz, saying the Jewish cemetery deserved “universal respect,”? she added, implying that this area deserves the same. The Museum, however, said that the Supreme Court ruling, which lasted over two years, confirmed that this is a site that is not considered a cemetery anymore, and it is an acceptable place to build on. CAIR, again on the other hand, said that the Supreme Court of Israel has allowed many unethical things to occur, like the continuing of an illegal occupation, the ongoing building of illegal Jewish-only settlements and the erection of an Apartheid wall, and thus cannot make any moral claims. The Museum, on the other hand, said that the main opponent of the project is a supporter of Hamas, whose intent is to destroy Israel and anything Jewish, and that this is only one of many construction projects that he has opposed in Israel. Eventually, one discredited the other, and there was nothing left to believe. It really stopped becoming about the cemetery altogether.

What could be extracted from this is that there was a cemetery in the area a while ago, and it was abandoned, and the issue is if a cemetery that is abandoned can really still be considered a cemetery. Is there a difference between bones in the ground and a cemetery? It”s true that many areas in Jerusalem have bones, and so it may be common to come by them once in a while, but this is a large concentration of bones. A similar conflict is ongoing in America with the graves of Native Americans. Archaeologists and scientists believe that by unearthing Native American burials, they may gain knowledge of the past. Native Americans believe that it is inhuman to do this to their dead, claiming also they know their past, and do not need scientists to affirm this. These issues both boil down to the issue on if it is ethical to unbury the dead, for whatever reason. Ran Boytner explained that when it comes to development, graves are unburied and reburied quite frequently. Across the world, it is routine that cemeteries are removed and people are reburied to make space for development, including for private, commercial and places of worship. Yet, given the context of the present conflict in the Middle East, no observer can escape the symbolic hypocrisy of building a Jewish Museum of Tolerance on top of a Muslim cemetery. It may be legal, but it certainly demonstrates no tolerance. Interestingly enough, there was an earlier plan to build a Muslim university on top of this same car park and cemetery a while ago, and it never went through because it did not have adequate funding. However, Affad Shaikh, another representative of CAIR-Los Angeles, said that the man who was to build this Muslim university was not considered a Muslim leader. He was very corrupt, and few agreed with his beliefs.? It is clear that this issue is really a clash of information drowned in a clash of two identities. In reference to the parking lot, Shaikh said that at the time the parking lot was being built, Muslims could not protest such an act. If they did, they were put in prison.

It is very important for the Museum to understand why this project is being contested, and for the contesters to understand why the Museum believes this place to be acceptable to build on. By truly understanding the other side, one can achieve a solution. The Native Americans versus the anthropologists issue was partially solved by NAGPRA (the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act), where a Native American must always be present at a development site, and if a grave is found, the most likely descendant is given the authority on what ought to be done with it. More often than not, the graves are unburied and reburied elsewhere. In both cases, it is the responsibility of those in charge to listen to the minority when it concerns their dead, and to address the concerns around this such that everyone may receive proper understanding of both sides, and a solution may appear.

But outside of religion and ethics, it”s clear this is also a political thing. If a Muslim cemetery is trampled on by a building that is founded by a Jew, Muslims will feel like Jews are trampling on their past. Ivan Strenski, a religious studies professor at UCLA, commented about people and religion. Religion is like an identity. It”s like being American. When you look at Iran and Iraq, the identity conflict is between Shi”as and Sunnis, and then when Israel comes in, its between Muslims and Jews.? So indeed, this is a clash between two identities. The only reason cemeteries are valued is because of their memory of the past. It”s actually brilliant that this particular museum is to be built, versus anything else, because this place is intended to be a place of tolerance. Perhaps if the Museum made an exhibit on this particular issue, or on the ancient cemetery, and chose to work closely with CAIR and other Muslim organizations in Jerusalem to bring a loud and accessible Muslim voice to the future Museum of Tolerance, the two religions would come together and learn how similar they are, and start a healing process. It is in peace that we can solve issues of violence, and we cannot be too naïve to translate our emotions from elsewhere here”we must try, though impossibly, to solve this with a fully open mind, and really understand where the other side is coming from. These political gestures, from both sides, have a kernel of anxiety that can be addressed, and extinguished. As for the placement of the museum, it is unlikely that everyone will agree on where it ought to be placed. In hopes that the two groups come together, maybe a conversation could be had where the Museum may justify its standpoint but also listen to the others, while those against it can justify their standpoint and listen to the Museum”s. Once each understands each other, and all the contradictions follow the same grain, both hands may place the first brick for this Museum that is bound to help tolerance in the region.

www.thenutfactory.com

Narrated by Ibn “Umar: The Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) said, “Amongst the trees, there is a tree, the leaves of which do not fall and is like a Muslim. Tell me the name of that tree.” Everybody started thinking about the trees of the desert areas. And I thought of the date-palm tree but felt too shy to answer. The others then asked, “What is that tree, O Allah”s Apostle?” He replied, “It is the date-palm tree.” ? (Bukhari, 58)
In early Islamic history it was customary for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to place a chewed date in the mouth of a newborn baby, and the baby would feel soothed and cease to cry. In Surah Mariam, in the Holy Qur”an, an anecdote is told of how Mary (PBUH), in her pain of childbirth, was driven to a palm tree where she was commanded by a voice to shake its trunk as fresh, ripe dates would fall down for her to eat. During Ramadan, Muslims all over the world tend to break their fast with dates, just as the Prophet (PBUH) did.
The date palm and the date Of all the fruits which exist today, none has been heavily emphasized, by the Qur”an or the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH), more than the date. The Qur”an mentions the date palm at least 20 times. Why? What is the significance of this fruit? It is wrinkled, dry, no larger than an iPod Shuffle, and commonly mistaken for a prune. Yet, other than pomegranates, olives, and figs, it has been one of the most important fruits and staples for not just Muslims, but civilizations dating as far back as Ancient Egypt. In fact, there is an old Arab saying which says, There are more uses from the date palms, than there are days in a year.? It is time to put this saying to the test and discover the role of the date in Islam.
The date palm is believed to have originated around the Persian Gulf and was very abundant between the Nile and Euphrates rivers. Around 4,000 B.C., its cultivation was widespread in the Middle East and North Africa, as Arab nomads would grow date palms wherever they traveled. It eventually was introduced in Spain, and soon after, it was grown in many European regions including the French Riviera, southern Italy, and Greece. However, the date palm did not find too much success in such regions due to specific conditions”long, hot growing season, low humidity, absence of summer rain, and soil types with low salt levels and free draining sands”needed for it to grow. Today, the date palm flourishes in such countries like Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Arabia, and Iran. Iraq leads all countries, as the number one producer of dates, with 22 million date palms producing over 600,000 tons of dates annually.
One region of the world, where the date palm has found success in is Southern California, specifically, the Coachella Valley. Imported from Iraq and Egypt in 1890 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Coachella Valley is responsible for 95 percent of the nation”s date crop. In fact, it is celebrated in the annual Indio Date Festival near Riverside. Not only has the fruit made its way to the United States, but the culture behind it has found its way here too. Examples include the naming of towns after Arabic cities like Mecca and Baghdad. The Indio Date Festival hosts events in which they perform plays on the Arabian Nights. However, according to Jonathan Friedlander, Assistant Director in Near Eastern Studies at UCLA, the incorporation of the Arabic? culture in such places is merely meant to sell. The annual Indio Date Festival is only a form of advertisement that utilizes Arabic? culture to sell and promote the date fruit.
The date fruit has for centuries been praised for its sweet taste, but just as the Arab saying claims, it has close to 400 different uses, if not more. Structurally, the branches of the date palm have served as a source of shade amidst the blazing, hot desert sun. During the time of the Prophet (PBUH), date palms were crucial in the growth of early Muslim communities. Its leafstalks were used by many scribes to record the chapters and verses of the Qur”an. Early mosques were built using palm fronds woven together and the pillars of the mosques were made from the trunks of palm trees.
Besides the structural uses, the date fruit has had many culinary and medicinal uses that help explain many of the verses of the Qur”an and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Dates are an excellent source of iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, and phosphorous. They possess rich natural fibers and vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin, biotin, folic and ascorbic acid. Today, they are used to make syrups, jams, ice creams, and sodas. They are high-energy fruits that are recommended for the health conscious. Dates are also easily digested. This explains why the Prophet (PBUH) would break his fast with them. Hunger is caused by a shortage of sugar in the blood, and not by an empty stomach (as usually assumed). Dates help elevate blood sugar levels as soon as they are consumed, instantly satisfying hunger.
Some of the medicinal uses of dates include being an excellent muscle stimulant. Early Muslims who would engage in battle used to consume them as a source of energy, and would survive for days on just dates and water. Dates can also reduce pain sensation and heart rate, which is why the Prophet (PBUH) would place chewed dates in a newborn”s mouth. Any pain the child feels after birth ceases, and the baby is able to calm down almost instantaneously. Pregnant women are encouraged to eat dates during pregnancy because experiments have shown that the muscles of the uterus are stimulated in the last months of pregnancy. This allows for dilation on the time of delivery and a reduction in bleeding”explaining the anecdote in Surah Mariam. Dates are also used in the treatment of bronchitis, tumors, hemorrhoids, poisonous bites, night blindness, skin allergies, anxiety, and depression. The American Cancer Society recommends that a person consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber a day, and according to Family Nutrition Online, dates are excellent sources of dietary fiber with one date containing 3 grams.
And in the earth are neighboring tracts, and gardens of vines and green crops…yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat. Verily! In these things there are signs for the people who understand? (Holy Qur”an 13:3). Allah (SWT) has created for the world an eclectic selection of plants, yet He chose a few to be more excellent than the others. The date palm is one example of these plants, which truly has more uses than there are days in a year.? It is one of the many blessings Allah (SWT) has bestowed for Muslims, and it is a tree we should always respect and protect for the sake of Allah. Indeed, Muslims are like the date palm, for we live in the toughest conditions and always find a way to survive, and better yet, a way to assist the world. ¢