H E A D L I N E S
American Muslims 20 years after 9/11
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: “The rising power of American Muslims” is the title of special issue of The Newsweek on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. It published an article by Steve Friess under the title: Since 9/11, US Muslims have gained unprecedented political, cultural influence. It's been an impressive 2021 so far for Muslim Americans. The U.S. Senate, that bastion of partisan gridlock, overwhelmingly confirmed, Judge Zaidi Quraishi, the nation's first Muslims as a federal district court judge and Lina Khan to chair the Federal Trade Commission. Legislatures in five states swore in their first Muslim members, including a non-binary, queer hijab-wearing representative in, of all places, Oklahoma. Three Detroit suburbs are poised this fall to elect their first Muslim mayors, according to the Newsweek. Read More
American Muslims 19 years after 9/11
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: 19 years after the ghastly tragedy of 9/11, civil rights remains the major problem for the seven-million-strong American Muslim Community. The Covid-19 Pandemic shut down the US economy and disturbed the social life however even in this challenging times American Muslims were victims of hate crimes, discrimination and Islamophobia. Almost two decades after 9/11, American Muslims still dealing with the fall out of this tragic event. Following Trump's 2016 election, American Muslims experienced a spike in hate crimes, according to data from the FBI. American Muslim leaders attributed the spike to anti-Muslim rhetoric espoused by Trump and some of his close associates. Read More
2019: Another challenging year for American Muslims
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: i. Republican candidate’s letter calls for Rep. Ilhan Omar to be hanged. ii. Muslim NJ mayor detained at JFK airport. iii. Flight of two Muslims canceled because crew 'didn't feel comfortable' flying with them. iv. 40% of Muslim Students in California Experience Bullying, Discrimination. These stories symbolize the dilemma of the seven-million American Muslim community which remains at the receiving end with President Trump’s demonization of Muslims to bigotry, to hate crimes, to widespread discrimination, to media coverage that links Islam with terrorism. Read More
First Muslim woman elected to Virginia Senate
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Ghazala Hashmi on Tuesday (Nov. 5) became the first Muslim women elected to the Virginia Senate. Ghazala Hashmi, 55, upset the Republican incumbent Glen Sturtevant to represent a district based in Chesterfield County. Her victory helped to flip the Senate Tuesday night as Democrats took control of both chambers and consolidated power across state government for the first time in a generation. At least two Muslim men serve in the House. Other Muslim state legislators are men — Ibraheem Samirah and Sam Rasoul serve in the Virginia House of Delegates. Read More
26 American Muslim Candidates Win in Nov. 5 Elections
AMP Report: A new report Wednesday (Nov 6) has identified at least 34 Muslim candidates who won elections in local and statewide races across the country. More than 80 Muslims ran for office this year at the local and state level. 26 American Muslims were elected nationwide in Tuesday’s off-year election. Three civil advocacy groups, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Jetpac, and MPower Change, have jointly prepared this report. Read More
American Muslims 18 years after 9/11
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: 18 years after the ghastly tragedy of 9/11, the seven-million strong American Muslim community remains at the receiving end with President Trump’s demonization of Muslims to bigotry, to hate crimes, to widespread discrimination, to media coverage that links Islam with terrorism. Tellingly, attack on Muslims and their faith is coming from our top political leadership. I mean from our President. Yes, our President Donald Trump. Read More abridged version Read More detailed version
After the Christchurch massacre
Gihan Shahine: Many Muslim worshippers living in the West fear that mosques could be attacked this Ramadan as the curtains come down on March’s white supremacist shootings in New Zealand. Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Arden’s message of love was not so much directed to Muslims alone as to all humanity since she said that most of the victims were immigrants who “chose to come” to New Zealand where they “chose to raise their families” as “a haven from hatred, racism, extremism, and that is why they became a target”. There is a consensus that the recent shootings in New Zealand were a violent manifestation of white supremacist ideology and xenophobia that did not occur in a vacuum. The 28-year-old Australian murderer who committed the crimes described himself on social media as representing “Europeans and whites in a battle against immigrants” whom he insisted on calling “invaders”. His posts were widely circulated on social media and expressed his deep “hatred for Islam”. There is also almost a consensus that the rise of extreme right-wing groups in Europe and US President Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric have boosted anti-Muslim sentiments that peaked in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. It remains questionable, however, whose voice will ultimately prove louder: that of white supremacy and right-wing extremism, or that of inclusion and the work against hate crimes, xenophobia and Islamophobia. Will the Christchurch tragedy deal a permanent blow to white supremacy and hate crime? Or will hate crime and Islamophobia find more supporters, especially in the light of the recent wave of immigrants, or what extreme right-wing politicians have dubbed “invaders”, who have arrived in Europe seeking refuge but who have been accused of seeking to change the identity of or to “Islamise” Europe? Read More
Trump working to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a 'terror' group
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: After declaring the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organization, the Trump administration is working to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign "terrorist" organization. "The president has consulted with his national security team and leaders in the region who share his concern, and this designation is working its way through the internal process," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday (April 30). Tellingly, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps was declared a terrorist organization at the request of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump is likely to declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terror group at the suggestion of Egyptian President Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Read More
127 civil advocacy groups urge nation's political parties to repeal Trump’s Muslim Ban
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: A coalition of 127 national and state civil advocacy groups Monday (April 22) issued an open letter addressed to the heads of national political parties, calling on them to include repealing the Muslim Ban and reversing the historic-low cap on admitted refugees as signature issues in their 2020 party platforms. The joint letter came in advance of the 2020 national party conventions held by the Democratic, Republican, Green, and Libertarian Parties. During these conventions each political party updates their party platform, embodying the principles and strategic goals of the party for the next four years. Read More
A tale of three Islamic parties
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Syed Sadatullah Hussaini has been elected Ameer (National President) of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (India). In Pakistan, Senator Sirajul Haq, Monday began second term as Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. Ironically, in Bangladesh, the High Court declared in August 2013 as illegal, ruling that the party is unfit to contest national polls because its charter puts God above democratic process. Read More
Trump declares Iranian Revolutionary Guards a terrorist group at Netanyahu's request
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing a hotly contested bid for a fourth term, tweeted Monday (April8) that the Trump administration designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization at his request, Los Angeles Times reported from Jerusalem. In response to Washington’s decision, the Iranian Supreme Security Council declared the US a “terrorist government” while calling the US CENTCOM a terrorist group as well. Read More
In the aftermath of New Zealand Mosques massacre: UN General Assembly condemns Islamophobia
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: In the wake of the horrific attack at two New Zealand mosques, in which 50 people were killed and 50 others injured, the UN General Assembly Tuesday (April2, 2019) unanimously adopted a resolution strongly condemning Islamophobia. The UN General Assembly convened a special session to adopt the resolution. The resolution, titled ‘Combating terrorism and other acts of violence based on religion or beliefâ€, was presented by Turkey and co-sponsored by countries including Pakistan. Read More
Countering Islamophobia Rally in San Francisco
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: A major rally was held Sunday (March 31) at the Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco to focus on the impact of killing of 50 worshippers in Christchurch, New Zealand on the seven-million strong American Muslim community. The rally was addressed by the mayor of San Francisco, London Breed and Mayor of Belmont Davina Hurt as well as Sam Hindi, theMayor of Foster City. David Chiu, member of California State Assembly, also spoke at the rally sponsored by the Northern California Islamic Council (NCIC) and co-sponsored by more than two dozen Muslim organizations, Islamic Centers and mosques. Read More
Trump formally recognises Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights
Al Jazeera: US President Donald Trump on Monday (March 25, 2019) formally recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Israel-occupied Golan Heights, reversing decades ofUnited State's policy. The announcement came as Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House in a trip the Israeli prime minister said he cut short after an early morning rocket, allegedly fired from the besieged Gaza Strip,struck a home in central Israel, wounding seven people.Read More
ADC concerned over Trump’s decision for recognize Israeli claim on the Occupied Golan Heights
ADC: The unprecedented decision by the Trump Administration to formally recognize Israel’s unjust claim to the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is troubling, deeply concerning, and goes against international law, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), said on Monday March 25, 2019. President Trump declared via twitter on March 21, 2019, that this policy shift, “is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” This irresponsible and unilateral decision contradicts thirty years of established U.S. policy. Read More
World rejects illegal US Golan Heights move
By Vakkas Dogantekin: The international community has condemned the unilateral and illegal action by the U.S. administration on Monday to formally recognize Israel’s sovereignty over occupied Golan Heights.The UN said: ''The status of Golan has not changed. The UN’s policy on Golan is reflected in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council." EU reiterated its stance against recognizing Israeli sovereignty over territories including Golan Heights, occupied since 1967. Read More
Fallout of New Zealand Mosque massacre? Christchurch attack note left at fire at California mosque
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Perhaps in the first attack on a mosque in the USA directly linked to the massacre of worshippers in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15, a mosque in the Southern California city of Escondido was briefly lit on fire on Sunday (March 24) in an apparent arson attempt. The blaze was extinguished by members of the Islamic Center of Escondido, and no one was injured. But police said that a note was found in the mosque’s parking lot that referenced the recent shootings at two mosques in New Zealand that left 50 people dead. Read More
Christchurch shooting: Why are we not using the word Islamophobia?
By Donna Miles-Mojab: Make no mistake, it was not just one man and his gun that killed 50 innocent worshippers in Christchurch, the whole Islamophobia industry had its finger on that trigger too – and yet, in much important commentary about the terrorist attack in Christchurch, the word Islamophobia is often missing. Yes, it is true that Islamophobia is deeply connected with racism and xenophobia but unless we acknowledge its specificity in the mode of operation and the group of people it targets, we won't be able to fulfil our moral responsibility to tackle it. Read More
Violent white supremacy is nothing new, especially in America
By Sher Watts Spooner: The terrorist attack by a white supremacist who killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, is just the latest in a series of attacks by angry white bigots, whether they identify as neo-Nazis, white supremacists, white nationalists, anti-Semites, the alt-right, or whatever new label they’re claiming, even as Iowa Rep. Steve King (R-Bigotry) wonders how those terms became offensive. The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that the number of hate groups in the U.S. is at an all-time high of 1,020. The FBI saw a rise in the number of domestic terrorist arrests in late 2018. White supremacists committed the most extremist killings in 2017, according to the Anti-Defamation League.ᅠRead More
More than 40,000 sign petitions backing NZ Premier for Nobel Peace Prize
as NYT says "America Deserves a Leader as Good as Jacinda Ardern"
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: More than 40,000 people had by Sunday morning signed two petitions calling for New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to get the Nobel Peace Prize. As Ardern has been widely praised for her leadership in response to last week’s terrorist attack on two Christchurch mosques, The New York Times has published an editorial, titled "America Deserves a Leader as Good as Jacinda Ardern."ᅠRead More
Donald Trump doesn’t think white nationalism is on the rise, data show otherwise
By Amy Sherman: It’s becoming a pattern with President Donald Trump: downplaying the seriousness of violence associated with white nationalism.A reporter asked Trump if he saw a global rise in white nationalism following reports that the Christchurch, New Zealand, shooter was steeped in the ideology. Trump responded: "I don’t really. I think it’s a small group of people that have very, very serious problems. I guess, if you look at what happened in New Zealand, perhaps that’s a case. I don’t know enough about it yet." Documenting incidents of white nationalism can be challenging. Nevertheless, data from multiple sources suggest extremist attacks associated with white nationalism and far-right ideology is on the rise. Read More
American Muslims alarmed at White Supremacist terror attacks in New Zealand
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: The seven-million strong American Muslim Community was alarmed at the White Supremacist terror attacks on two mosques in New Zealand where gunmen entered the mosques and began to shoot and kill Muslim parishioners indiscriminately during the Friday prayer services. At least 49 Muslims were killed and another 48 injured. New Zealand Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed children among shooting victims. An online screed the shooter apparently left behind explained that he was specifically targeting Muslims who invaded “our lands [and] live on our soil” and that it was an “act of revenge against Islam.” Read More
Online Magazine launched in 2003
Executive Editor: Abdus Sattar Ghazali