Oct. 1994 Dear Editor

Your Responsibility and Your Obligation

A recent habit has developed this summer. Some parents come to the mosque and leave their kids unattended in the parking lot. This is a formula for sure disaster, and a potential for lawsuits. While you are attending functions in the mosque, some of your children have been shredding Islamic leaflets in the paper shredder upstairs. Others have been getting free rides in a "Kroger Shopping Cart" which is propelled by another 6 year old down Riverview Drive.

I am not sure who is to blame, the undisciplined child or the careless parent? If you cannot keep your children under control and do not know what they are destroying during your visit to the mosque, then perhaps you should leave them at home with the other parent. I always believe that a child imprisoned at home is much better than a dead child on Riverview Drive.

At this time I would like to encourage the fathers to donate 2 hours a week to give a chance to their wives to have quality time in the halaqahs for sisters. This was the common practice of our brother, Dr. Ibrahim AI-Hadban. No parent should be permanently stuck home with the kids.

Khalid Farag



Dear Editor

Confusing Committees

In the last issue of IQRA, the MSA announced the formation of a new committee. The name of the committee was "Media Awareness". The goals of this committee were:

1. Handle the increasing frequent communication with the commercial media.
2. Prepare press releases.
3. Hold news conferences.
4. Prepare statements.

Although forming new committees should be commendable, especially in our current situation, I would like to point out a paragraph in the MSA constitution that really confuses the roles played by this committee. The paragraph in the constitution is the following: "The Information Coordinator shall be responsible to the President for:

9.1 Coordinating the Islamic Children school and Adult Education Programs.
9.2 Preparing circulars, bulletins and newsletters of the Association and presenting the same before the Committee for their views.
9.3 Circulating the Association's publications (i.e. prayer calendar, etc.)
9.4 Editing and publishing literature on behalf of the Association.
9.5 Organizing and directing the use of the library, media center, television programs, Islamic book service, exhibitions, etc."

I would like to emphasize points 9.2 and 9.4 and ask what is the difference between this new committee and the information committee? More specifically how does the MSA plan to prevent duality between the newly formed committee and the Information committee? Finally, I would like to ask the MSA to clarify who is responsible for the committee and who are the members? The announcement said that the committee had been formed. It is only logical to give a contact name or list the members of that committee.

Rached Zantout