March 1995, pgs. 67-68

American-Muslim Activism

By Greg Noakes

American Muslims React to Executive Order

Three American Muslim organizations issued a joint statement in reaction to President Bill Clinton's Jan. 24 executive order prohibiting financial transactions with groups opposed to the Middle East peace process. The order bans the transfer of funds or goods from the U.S. to a variety of radical groups, including Islamist organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad; secular groups like the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Abu Nidal organization; and two Jewish groups: Kach and Kahane Chai.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the American Muslim Council (AMC) argued in their statement that the Muslim community has spoken out against terrorist actions, abides by U.S. law concerning charitable giving and distribution of funds and supports legal action against groups involved in criminal activities. The groups said Clinton's order ignored these facts and "will have a negative impact on legitimate political expression by American Muslims and others." The groups criticized the order's "vague language" and its omission of groups which raise funds "in America for illegal settlements in the occupied territories or to support the continued occupation of southern Lebanon.

"Since we believe none of the organizations named in the order have offices or representatives in America and there is no evidence of American links to these groups," the statement said, "we are concerned that the agencies of the government will seek out other, legitimate organizations and target them as 'supporters of terrorism.'" The groups called on President Clinton to unite "the various elements of American pluralism rather than to issue an order which can only create fear and suspicion."

Earlier, MPAC, CAIR, AMC, the Islamic Circle of North America, the Islamic Society of North America and the North American Association of Muslim Professionals issued a joint declaration urging respect for American pluralism and protesting negative stereotyping of Muslims in the U.S. MPAC co-chairwoman Summer Hathout told reporters in Los Angeles, "Dialogue and interaction are really critical. We need neutral political debate and we have to combat terrorism with ethnic and religious blinders on."

Exhibit Highlights Work of American Calligrapher

Some of the works of Mohamed Zakariya, a classically trained Islamic hattat, or calligrapher, were the subject of a three-week exhibit at the American Muslim Council prior to being auctioned on Feb. 2. A portion of the proceeds was donated to the Muslim Inter-Community Network, or InterNet, a Washington, DC-based American Muslim social service organization.

The pieces on display, which ranged from small, intricate Arabic inscriptions to powerful large-scale treatments of various Qur'anic verses, demonstrated the skill and artistry of Zakariya, the first American to have received an icazet (certification or diploma) from the renowned Turkish calligrapher Hasan Celebi. In addition to his calligraphic designs and text illumination, Zakariya also constructs astrolabes, quadrants and sundials. For more information, or to commission a piece of calligraphy, contact Mohamed Zakariya, 536 North Littleton St., Arlington, VA 22203.

IIIT Seminar Uses Two-Way Conferencing

The International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, VA began its 1995 seminar series with a lecture by Dr. Bashir Nafi, associate editor of the American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, on "The Rise and Decline of Islamic Reformists." The Jan. 25th presentation also inaugurated IIIT's use of distance learning centers to enable interested individuals outside the Herndon area to participate in seminars via two-way audio conferencing. Nafi's talk was relayed to audiences at sites in Washington, DC and Tampa, FL. IIIT currently is examining the possibility of upgrading to two-way video conferencing in the future. For information on upcoming institute activities, or to discuss participation in future lectures through two-way conferencing, contact Dr. Iqbal Unus at the International Institute of Islamic Thought, tel. (703) 471-1133, fax (703) 471-3922. IIIT also has begun an on-line computer service which allows users to access various documents, periodicals and other research materials. The e-mail address is forum@iiit.dgsys.com

Seattle Mosque Bomb Scare

Worshippers arriving for morning prayers at Seattle's Idriss mosque on Dec. 28th found what appeared to be an explosive device attached to the building's front door. Police bomb disposal units found a packet made to resemble a bomb wrapped in black electrical tape. The package was removed by Seattle police using remote-operated equipment and found to contain no explosives. The Idriss mosque, located in north Seattle, is the first purposely built mosque in the Pacific Northwest and a visible symbol of the area's Muslim population. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says no arrests have been made in the case. Readers wanting to receive a list of security precautions to follow when dealing with a suspicious object or a package received in the mail, or to report any similar incidents, should contact CAIR at tel. (202) 638-6340, fax (202) 638-6412.

Muslims Rally for Chechnya

Several hundred American Muslims demonstrated outside the Russian Embassy on Jan. 6th to protest Moscow's offensive against Chechnya, a small Muslim-majority republic in the Caucasus. The protest was organized by the Chechen Action Center and CAIR, which also urged Muslims to call the White House and Congress to protest Russian actions and asked imams around the country to discuss Chechnya in their khutbas, or Friday sermons.

The Islamic Circle of North America's (ICNA) Muslim Alert Network, which monitors the American media and helps organize the Muslim community's response to developing issues, distributed a four-page newsletter on Chechnya. The document includes material on Chechen history, news analyses of the situation in the region, a briefing on U.S. policy toward Chechnya and contact information for the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government as well as the Russian embassy and mission to the United Nations. ICNA also is issuing an urgent appeal for funds to assist the estimated 400,000 Chechen refugees through ICNA Relief. To receive a copy of the Muslim Alert Network's Chechnya newsletter, for more information about the network itself, or to donate to ICNA Relief's Chechnya project, contact ICNA, tel. (718) 658-1199.

Public Service Announcement Available

ISNAVISION, the audio-visual production department of the Islamic Society of North America, has produced a 30-second public service announcement which discusses the hijab, or headscarf, worn by Muslim women. The spot is designed for use by local television stations to raise public awareness of the significance and meaning of the hijab. ISNAVISION is providing the announcement free of charge aside from the $100 production cost for each tape in broadcast-quality format. Individuals, organizations or television stations interested in obtaining a copy of the public service announcement should contact ISNAVISION's Mamdouh Rezeika at tel. (317) 839-8157, extension 246.

Greg Noakes is the news editor of the Washington Report.