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I just found this that I should have included in my above post
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has presented its Community Leadership Award to Imam Mohamed Abdul-Azeez, spiritual leader of the SALAM (Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims) Islamic center in the capital city of California. Drew Parenti, the FBI special agent who nominated Abdul Azeez for the award, struck up a friendship with the imam in the wake of a local terrorist case, and holds the local leader in high regard.
“The award is for preventing violence, creating understanding, bringing people together, and that's what Mohamed Azeez brings,” Parenti told reporters. “He's a dynamic community leader, irrespective of religion. Sacramento is truly blessed to have a leader with the vision, energy and compassion demonstrated by Mr. Azeez.”
The special agent in charge of the FBI’s Sacramento office also said that “it’s no secret there is a degree nationally of mistrust, misunderstanding and miscommunication between not just the FBI but the federal government in general and the Muslim community. Imam Azeez should be commended for his willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue.” The FBI Awards - by Lloyd Billingsley | Frontpage Mag
I have never been there, but some things about the Salam center can be found online such as:
SALAM has instituted many outreach activities, including the Children of Abraham program, interfaith prayer services, interfaith tree planting and, with the help of the members of the San Juan School District, the increase of religious sensitivity and awareness in scholastic curricula. Imam Azeez has also been a regular guest speaker at the Sacramento FBI on the topic of Muslim culture and on July 26, 2009, gave a Muslim Cultural Awareness briefing to members of the FBI Sacramento Citizens' Academy Alumni Association. https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partner...009/sacramento
No, this ain’t your father’s “Death to America"-spewing jihadist—in more ways than simply his age, appearance and body type. Introduced on this cool March 23 evening as an Egyptian-born immigrant, Mohamed Abdul-Azeez speaks into the microphone in absolutely accent-free idiomatic English. More shocking are the actual words coming out of his mouth.
“America is the best place on the planet Earth for Muslims to be,” the Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims’ imam tells the senior-citizen members of the Renaissance Society, a learning-in-retirement organization affiliated with CSUS. After running with that theme for nearly and hour and hanging around another 30 minutes to answer questions—stopping only because the auditorium had to be cleared, not due to a bomb threat but because the exhausted staff had to go home—Azeez and his positive message taught these old dogs a new shtick.
“He wasn’t what I expected,” one gray lady says as she files out the auditorium doors.
Whatever did she expect?
“I’m not sure,” she says tentatively. “Someone maybe defensive about what’s going on in Iraq.”
After a pause for reflection, she concedes, “Actually, he sounded pretty reasonable.”
Told later about the woman’s comment, Azeez reacts as if he’d heard it before.
“I’m very much not hostile to the United States,” he says. “I’m here because I chose to be here. I’m staying here because I choose to stay here. This is my country now.”
Good post! And due to the outreach of religious leaders like Imam Azeez, there is virtually no Islamaphobia in Sacramento, it's very common to see women in shops and parks wearing hijab, no one thinks a thing of it. Muslims in Sacramento are well integrated in the community as are Russians, Ukranians, South and East Asians. Everyone I know welcomes their presence.
Good post! And due to the outreach of religious leaders like Imam Azeez, there is virtually no Islamaphobia in Sacramento, it's very common to see women in shops and parks wearing hijab, no one thinks a thing of it. Muslims in Sacramento are well integrated in the community as are Russians, Ukranians, South and East Asians. Everyone I know welcomes their presence.
We do need more Imams like Azeez, but men like him are few. Most American Mosques do not even have an Imam, few people have the desire to be one. There is no Central Authority that provides Imams, when a Community or Individual builds a Mosque, it becomes their responsibility to find an Imam, generally he will be the oldest person in the community. In the event there is no Imam the oldest person present at prayer time is to be the Imam if he is capable of leading the prayers.
Ha, the very idea of shutting down all the mosques- If something like this actually went down, imagine the propaganda victory it would be for ISIS.
All this tough talk from bafoons like Trump and Rubio is nothing but the sound of music to ISIS and other extremists. This is what helps them thrive and drive up their recruitment. Where is that meme about how its best for folks to not be a**holes to one another? Oh yea..
Ha, the very idea of shutting down all the mosques- If something like this actually went down, imagine the propaganda victory it would be for ISIS.
All this tough talk from bafoons like Trump and Rubio is nothing but the sound of music to ISIS and other extremists. This is what helps them thrive and drive up their recruitment. Where is that meme about how its best for folks to not be a**holes to one another? Oh yea..
Yeah, that's all fine and good and we non-Moslems can like or even love Moslems all the same. But their religion compels them not to be friends with non-Moslems and thus your scenario is inapplicable to any Moslem who abides by the religion.
Qur'an (5:51) - "O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people."
Qur'an (5:80) - "You will see many of them befriending those who disbelieve; certainly evil is that which their souls have sent before for them, that Allah became displeased with them and in chastisement shall they abide."
Qur'an (3:28) - "Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them..." This last part means that the Muslim is allowed to feign friendship if it is of benefit.
According to the renowned scholar Ibn Kathir states that "believers are allowed to show friendship outwardly, but never inwardly."
Qur'an (3:118) - "O you who believe! do not take for intimate friends from among others than your own people, they do not fall short of inflicting loss upon you; they love what distresses you; vehement hatred has already appeared from out of their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater still; indeed, We have made the communications clear to you, if you will understand."
Qur'an (9:23) - "O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers" Even family members are not to be taken as friends if they do not accept Islam. (There are harsher interpretations of this verse. The same (ninth) sura advocates "slaying the unbeliever wherever ye find them").
Qur'an (53:29) - "Therefore shun those who turn away from Our Message and desire nothing but the life of this world."
Yeah, that's all fine and good and we non-Moslems can like or even love Moslems all the same. But their religion compels them not to be friends with non-Moslems and thus your scenario is inapplicable to any Moslem who abides by the religion.
How many of the 9/11 hijackers or the Paris terrorists were actually Muslims? They all engaged in behavior forbidden by Islam; drinking, going to strip clubs, using drugs. Just because someone is from the Middle East does not mean they are a practicing Muslim, they are crazies who are just as mentally disturbed as our home grown school shooters. Just because a US citizen wears a cross or goes to a Church does not mean they are Christian, and if they committed an act of terrorism I'm sure you would be among the first to start shouting that they weren't a 'real Christian'
How many of the 9/11 hijackers or the Paris terrorists were actually Muslims? They all engaged in behavior forbidden by Islam; drinking, going to strip clubs, using drugs. Just because someone is from the Middle East does not mean they are a practicing Muslim, they are crazies who are just as mentally disturbed as our home grown school shooters. Just because a US citizen wears a cross or goes to a Church does not mean they are Christian, and if they committed an act of terrorism I'm sure you would be among the first to start shouting that they weren't a 'real Christian'
The 9/11 hijackers were most assuredly Moslem. Whether they did the above things doesn't matter as they later purified themselves (shaving) and then prepared for jihad against Infidels which is the noblest thing a "Lion" (true believer) of Islam can do.
The 9/11 hijackers were most assuredly Moslem. Whether they did the above things doesn't matter as they later purified themselves (shaving) and then prepared for jihad against Infidels which is the noblest thing a "Lion" (true believer) of Islam can do.
Yeah, that's all fine and good and we non-Moslems can like or even love Moslems all the same. But their religion compels them not to be friends with non-Moslems and thus your scenario is inapplicable to any Moslem who abides by the religion.
Qur'an (5:51) - "O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people."
Qur'an (5:80) - "You will see many of them befriending those who disbelieve; certainly evil is that which their souls have sent before for them, that Allah became displeased with them and in chastisement shall they abide."
Qur'an (3:28) - "Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them..." This last part means that the Muslim is allowed to feign friendship if it is of benefit.
According to the renowned scholar Ibn Kathir states that "believers are allowed to show friendship outwardly, but never inwardly."
Qur'an (3:118) - "O you who believe! do not take for intimate friends from among others than your own people, they do not fall short of inflicting loss upon you; they love what distresses you; vehement hatred has already appeared from out of their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater still; indeed, We have made the communications clear to you, if you will understand."
Qur'an (9:23) - "O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers" Even family members are not to be taken as friends if they do not accept Islam. (There are harsher interpretations of this verse. The same (ninth) sura advocates "slaying the unbeliever wherever ye find them").
Qur'an (53:29) - "Therefore shun those who turn away from Our Message and desire nothing but the life of this world."
We are not forbidden to have non-Muslims for friends. The Qur'an says we are not to have them for a Wali. Too many translators translate Wali as friend. While a Wali is to be your friend the person you choose to be your wali is to be your mentor, guide and protector. Wali also means parent as your parents are your first protectors. The word Saddiq translates to the English word friend. There is no prohibitions in having non-Muslims as one's saddiq.
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