Media and the Islamic Identity of the Muslim Child

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Muslim Child

The importance of protecting children from the media invasion and the obliteration of identity:

Childhood is one of the most important stages in one’s life, because his personality and tendencies are formed during this time, in addition to physical and mental growth.

Psychological and educational studies prove that this is the most critical stage in a person’s development, and that the child stores the majority of the experiences and information that affect his life in the future during this stage.

The child, as described by Al-Ghazzaali (may Allah be pleased with him) is a “blank sheet in which we may write down good or evil. So, if we habituate him to be good, he will be a good, and vice versa.”

Therefore, it is vital that we pay attention to the child and ensure that what is introduced to him in his social environment is intellectually beneficial to reflect positively on the young child, his behavior and development.

Today, our children face an intellectual invasion in a world dominated by influential cultures that own the most influential mass media.

Hence, there must be practical means to protect children from the bad and negative programs that are presented to them.
Ismaa‘eel ‘Abd Al-Kaafi, says, “We must preserve the Islamic identity of our generations through providing them with suitable cultural and media production alternatives to exist side by side with foreign media and cultural products in this age of information technology.

The family, school, mosque, mass media and the society as a whole should participate in guiding and directing this process. The society must be aware of the danger of mass media against our children if they are not directed rightly under the supervision of different educational institutions.”

2- Types of educational means and their influence on the child’s identity and culture:

1- TV as a means of media:

There is no doubt that watching TV daily occupies the spare time of the children and adults as well. They acquire information and are introduced to different cultures through it. One of the negative impacts of TV, to which we should pay attention, is that the children spend many hours in front of it. This affects their social life and relations as well as their behavior with their playmates.

TV also affects their studies and the negative effect of the violence and crime on TV programs cannot be denied.
This shows us the role of the TV in sowing the seeds of fear and worry in our children through horror movies and movies featuring ghosts and devils.

2- Computer as a means for developing the culture of the young:

PC and video games are among the most influential factors in guiding and directing children. Educational studies reveal that computer programs can have negative and positive effects on the culture of the Muslim child.

The positive effects include strengthening the child’s ability to read, write, express himself orally, listen, and pay attention.

They also provide the child with general culture, teach him some scientific principles, help him to learn foreign languages, and help him to develop his artistic and mathematical abilities.

These programs also strengthen the child’s ability to solve problems, improve his social adjustment, develop his skills and hobbies, and make use of his spare time.

On the other hand, these programs have negative effects, because they weaken the child’s ability to perform social activities and duties. They also distract the child from playing physical games. Negative health effects include habituating the child to laziness and may cause obesity due to lack of movement, in addition to deterioration of general health.

Despite the benefits of these programs, their use as a means of education and culture ‎is still limited in comparison to direct social interaction. Their role in education and culture is still weaker than the printed and visual mass media in poorer communities and among lower classes.

The Internet absorbs the child’s attention and makes many children lose their ability to talk and communicate with others.

3- Printed mass media and stories as sources of the child’s culture:

Printed materials such as books and magazines still play an important role in developing children’s culture, because they encourage creative abilities, entertain the child, occupy his spare time and develop his hobbies.

Printed media refines behavior and instills good morals, corrects deviant characters and loosens the shackles of blind imitation and foreign destructive ideas.

We want to transform the printed media and all mass media into resources that enrich the child’s culture away from all the materials that do not accord with our social environment and culture.

Stories are considered a vital resource that can implant correct beliefs in the child’s mind, provides him with facts, and reinforce the educational process. Children’s literature is a positive means that forms the religious creed and develops cultural experiences.

A story is still considered a beacon and an important educational method and its content has always played a key educational role because of its psychological and educational advantages.

Mass protests all over the world against Gaza aggression

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Mass protests

Mass protests have been organized in different Arab and European countries condemning the continued international silence towards the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip.

In Colombia, hundreds of protesters participated in a vigil outside Israeli embassy in Bogota in protest against Israeli military escalation in Gaza.

The participants, including political parties’ leaders and Palestinian community members, called on Israel to stop its brutal attack on the besieged Strip of Gaza, condemning the international community and UN’s suspicious silence.

In The Hague, hundreds of activists and Palestinian community members organized a solidarity vigil on the tenth anniversary of International Court of Justice’s decision against Israeli Apartheid Wall.

The protesters chanted slogans calling for an immediate end to Israeli barbaric aggression on Gaza.

For his part, Maldivian president Abduallah Abd Qyoom slammed the Israeli escalated aggression on Gaza’s people and the Israeli continued violations in occupied Palestine.

Abd Qyoom expressed his people’s total support for the unarmed Palestinian people who are subjected to “Israel’s systematic and deliberate crimes.”

Along the same line, the Bahraini Council Association organized in coordination with the Palestinian embassy in Bahrain a solidarity vigil in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip.

In Oman, the journalists syndicate strongly condemned Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza, calling on Arab and international journalists’ syndicates to condemn the Israeli inhuman crimes.

In Mauritania, angry marches were organized in a number of cities protesting Israeli aggression, calling on the international community to intervene urgently to stop Israel’s attacks.

In Spain, solidarity demonstrations have continued for the fourth consecutive day in several cities, while Andalusian Journalists Union or SPA issued a statement condemning the continued Israeli homicide in Gaza in violation to the Fourth Geneva Convention.

In London, a large number of protesters participated Friday in a sit-in outside Israeli embassy protesting Israel’s aggression. The participants raised Palestinian flags and held banners denouncing Israeli brutal attacks.

Meanwhile, the Tunisian league for the defense of Human rights condemned the Arab official position towards Israeli aggression and called on the UN Security Council to pressure Israel to stop its aggression.

The league also called for providing protection for the Palestinian people and stressed the resistance’s right to defend itself.

In its turn, South Africa’s government condemned Israeli collective punishment policy against Palestinians including arrests.

Shia-Sunni communities attended Iftar banquet of Dallas mayor

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Dallas mayor

This was the first from any Dallas Mayor. The dinner which was sponsored by renowned city businessman Amir Rupani, Arman Rupani and Mohsin Mandavia and others.

A large number of religious leadership of Shia, Sunni and Ismaili community were in attendance.

The event was attended by former Mayor of Paris Dr Arjumand Hashmi, City Councilman Dallas Lee M Kleinman Sandy Greyson Monica Alonzo ,Imam Shpendim Nadzaku ( Dallas Central Mosque) Imam Zia Shaikh ( Irving Masjid) RaJa Zahid Khanzada , Amina Rab ( CAIR) Dr. Shahid Shafi ,Mike Ghouse, Imam Khalid Shaheed Ghulam Jangda Amina ismail Khalil, Abdur-Rashid ( Plano Masjid), Hind Jara ( TMWF) Azhar Aziz ( ISNA) Dallas, Central Mosque Imam Shpendim Nadzaku Zia Sheikh, CAIR DFW President Amina Rab, Mike Ghouse, Ghulam Jangda, Imam Khalid Shaheed ,Abdul Rasheed, Hind Jarrah, ISNA Vice President Azhar Aziz and others,

Imam Khalid Shaheed , Khalil Abdur-Rashid, Imam Shpendim Nadzaku and Imam Zia Sheikh spoke on the importance of fasting and on Ramadan.

Talking to the group Dallas Mayor Mike Rawling said that around 150,000 Muslim live in Dallas Metroplex from which around 40,000 live in Dallas County.

He said that this is the first time an Iftar at City Hall is held to celebrate the social and religious event together.

He said that this is their wish that this dinner is hosted every year and until he is Mayor he will host this event each year.

He said that Dallas is one of the largest city of the nation which is growing at a very fast pace.

He said that the immigrant population has a large contribution in Dallas city progress and this is why we need to work together for the economic growth of the city.

He thanked to the young Muslim leader Arman for giving him the the advice for hosting the dinner. He said that together we should prepare for the challenges of 21st century and to leave the city and the country in better shape for our coming generation.

Special arrangements for Azaan and prayers were also made during the event. The Muslim and other Americans socialized at this event. Muslim community leaders thanked Mayor Mike Rawlings for his hospitality.

Ramadan presents opportune time for outreach at Dearborn mosques

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(Photo: Fatina Abdrabboh (center), director of ADC Michigan, with her volunteers. Photo courtesy of ADC Michigan )

Muslims attend prayers at mosques more during Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, than any other time of the year.

With so many of their congregation in attendance at once, particularly during the nightly prayers, mosques and nonprofit organizations often use the time to seek donations.

Ramadan also presents an opportune time for other types of outreach.

“The mosques represent the pulse of this community in a number of ways and Ramadan is an ideal time to talk about community,” said Fatina Abdrabboh, director of the Dearborn-based Michigan chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

That’s what ADC Michigan has taken advantage of in Dearborn’s mosques. ADC Michigan, although not a religious organization, represents people who are often religious, she said.

“The specialness of this month for the Arab and Muslim community can’t be overstated,” she said.

As a community-based civil rights organization, ADC Michigan has been spending the month at the mosques to let people know about their services and to revive pride in Arab heritage.

“Ramadan is a religious month, but it’s also a cultural month,” she said.

Abdrabboh, who studied Islamic history, which is intertwined into Arab history, at Harvard University, is coordinating courses for children on the topic at mosques across Dearborn, like in the south end and on Tireman Avenue.

Mosques typically offer baby-sitting for children, usually between 3 and 10 years old, who cannot participate in the hours-long prayers with the congregation. Abdrabboh said ADC Michigan is changing what normally would have been playtime into a chance for kids to gain pride in Arab history.

Her courses also focus on Abyssinia and other civilizations, as well as Arab influence on math and science.

“It’s kind of like Arab Jeopardy,” she said.

In addition to reaching out to children, ADC Michigan also is extending a hand to the general Muslim community in Dearborn.

ADC Michigan volunteers continue to promote its civil rights app, launched in April,that gives, among other tools, victims of hate crimes a direct avenue for reporting incidents from their mobile devices.

“Our volunteers see people with their iPhones sending their last text message before they enter the mosque to pray and say: ‘Hey, have you heard about our app?’” Abdrabboh said.

With that simple question, ADC Michigan has seen about 500 downloads of the app so far in Ramadan alone, she said.

“The reality is that what we’re actually doing is new and unprecedented,” she said. “Almost daily, we’re available to the community. It’s a huge opportunity.”

Whether at the nightly prayers or at iftar, the meal at which the fast is broken, Abdrabboh said ADC Michigan is able to talk about civil rights issues at times when such topics are normally not discussed.

“Our message is we’re here to represent you and we’re here to address your needs,” she said.

The outreach is working. Abdrabboh said someone who hears about the organization for the first time on Sunday will give her a call on Monday. That, she said, is exciting.

19 football fans revert to Islam in Brazil World Cup 2014

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revert to Islam

BRASILIA – Answering the call of Islam, 19 football fans attending Brazil World Cup 2014 have reverted to Islam after meeting daw`ah teams spreading across the land of samba over the past month.

The number of reverts to Islam since the start of the World Cup “has increased to reach 19 people of different nationalities after the reversion of English, Spanish and Brazilian fans,” Sheikh Khaled Taky El din, President of the Supreme Council of Imams and Islamic Affairs in Brazil, told the Anadolu Agency.

“Three more football fans, including a British, a Spanish and a Brazilian have taken the declaration of faith (shahada) within the past couple of days after getting introduced to the teachings of Islam by the campaign launched by the Council.

“The three fans knew about Islam from the da`wah stalls following “Know Islam” campaign before expressing with wish to join Islam,” he added.

As the World Cup tournament goes on, a growing number of Brazilians have answered the call to Islam, choosing to accept the message of the world’s fastest growing faith.

Hosted by Brazil for the second time, the FIFA World Cup football tournament have been running from June 12 and will conclude on July 13, 2014.

The launch of the tournament saw the start of several campaigns to introduce Islam to thousands of fans heading from across the world under the leadership of the Federation of Muslim Associations in Brazil (Fambras).

Finalizing their preparations for the huge event, staff at Fambras was preparing their own welcome to about 600,000 fans expected to visit the country during the month-long competition.

Earlier this month, the group announced that a special guide book has been published in Brazil for Muslim fans in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Titled “Salam (hello) Barazil”, 65,000 copies of the 32-page booklet have been published by the Union of Islamic Associations of Brazil in cooperation with the Omani embassy in the South American country.

A 12-hour daily phone service — in English, Arabic, Spanish, French and Portuguese — will also launch before the tournament starts.

Along with the three fans who reverted to Islam, the World Cup has seen the reversion of sixteen more fans from different nationalties according to Sheikh Taky El din.

According to the 2001 census, there are 27,239 Muslims in Brazil.

However, the Islamic Brazilian Federation puts the number at around one and a half million.

Islam expert Paulo Pinto of Fuminense Federal University estimated Brazil is home to about a million Muslims.

With no confirmed number of Muslims, the best indicator of the growth of Islam in the country is the rapid increase in the number of mosques.

There are now 127 mosques, four times as many as there were back in 2000.

Source : OnIslam

Palestinian Resistance Reveals New Surprise: Unmanned Drones

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Unmanned Drones

Palestinian resistance in Gaza launched on Monday an unmanned aircraft that entered the occupied territories, revealing a new surprise in the struggle with the Israeli enemy.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, announced on Monday that it had launched a drone which carried out special mission over Israeli ministry of defense headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Earlier, the resistance brigades said that several drones are being dispatched to carry out missions in the Israeli depth.

Israeli media confirmed a drone was launched from Gaza, reporting that it was shot down by the Patriot missile battery over the occupied settlement of Ashdod.

The Israeli Navy was searching for remnants of the drone, which was intercepted over an open area near the Ashdod coast, Jerusalem Post reported.
The drone set off a Code Red alert siren in the city, JP added.

Meanwhile rocket attacks on the occupied territories also continued on Monday morning with sirens sounding in Ashkelon and western Negev.

Earlier on Sunday, al-Qassam Brigades announced it had shelled Belmakhim military airbase for the first time with M75 rockets.

Source : Agencies

Arab League urges immediate end to Israeli aggression on Gaza

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Gaza

The call, in a report to be submitted to the ministerial meeting, comes as Israeli airstrikes continue to target the besieged Gaza Strip for the seventh consecutive day Monday, and the Palestinian death toll rose to more than 170, with more than 2,000 wounded.

The Arab League “affirmed the necessity of urgent steps for an immediate end to the Israeli aggression on Gaza and providing protection for the Palestinians,” the report said.

Israeli “air strikes on Gaza have become a matter that cannot be met with silence anymore,” it said.

The pan-Arab organization “demands that the international community intervene through its legal and humanitarian institutions to protect the Palestinian people.”

Despite international calls for an end to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Tel Aviv regime was hitting Gaza “with growing force” and that there was no end in sight.

The Israeli military has called up thousands of reservists for an all-out invasion of the Gaza Strip. Hamas has warned that it is prepared to hit back at Israeli forces if the Tel Aviv regime launches a ground attack against Gaza.

An Egyptian foreign ministry statement said Monday’s meeting, due to begin at 1900 GMT, “is aimed at finding a solution to stop the shedding of Palestinian civilians’ blood and to formulate a common Arab stance on the issue.”