June 1996 News Fly Around

Islam in the OSU Medical college Curriculum

 

reported by Dr. Malika Haque, M.D.

 

Columbus (May 1996) "Islam and Medicine", by the grace of Allah, has been successfully introduced as a permanent ongoing course in the college of Medicine of the Ohio State University in the mini-module format: 4 weeks, 3 hr./wk, which is an established requirement in the Medical Humanities and Behavioral Sciences area of the College of Medicine. The context was thoughtfully designed for all the medical students who signed up. Definition of Islam, Pillars of Islam, Islamic practices and Law, Moral and Ethical Values, History, and Science were some of the topics presented leading to considerable enlivening discussions. Since Muslims now have a clear presence in the diversity of patient population on the American scene, useful courtesy, manners for communicating, and a basic knowledge of Islam were shown as necessary for improved medical management and doctor-patient rapport, particularly in community ambulatory facilities.

 

Guest speakers were appreciated by the students, with Dr. Asma Mobin Uddin speaking on Islam and Science and Dr. John Kashbeck relating his experiences as a Muslim physician on medical ethics. At the conclusion of the course, more than 90% of the students gave an "excellent" rating and the director of the program at the College of Medicine was excited to request that I make a continual annual presentation.

 

Eid-ul Adha Dinner

 

reported by Shahida Khan

 

The Eid dinner is a tradition in our community. It is a beautiful occasion for our children, ourselves, and our Muslim community. New clothes, gifts, visiting, being together, and feasting make the occation very enjoyable to children and adults alike.

 

Saturday, May 4, 1996 at the Whitehall Community Center, sisters and brothers from the Islamic Center and Omar mosque came together in the spirit of sacrifice and sharing to enjoy Eid Dinner.

 

Alhamdulillah, our community has grown many folds. Some 20 plus years ago Eid dinners took place in a small hall at the Park of Roses and later at the St. Stephen Community Center. Now even Whitehall Community Center has become small. Tables were full of different kinds of tasty, spicy, ethnic foods. for some people, some of the food was so hot that they had to use napkins to wipe their eyes. for children the big excitement was the pizza party, magic show, and goody bags.

 

Together with the remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim's supreme submission to Allah, we should remember other Muslims in our community and in other communities. May Allah increase our community more and more day by day. May Allah bless our community with more unity and more tolerance and love. May Allah reward those people who worked hard selflessly to make this Eid Celebration successful.

 

Dear Editor

 

During Eid Prayers

 

Over the years, Subhannahllah, the Muslim community has grown considerably in Central Ohio. Particularly at Eid prayers, a Jamaa of 3000 to 4000, sisters, and children is quite common. We are a cultured, caring Ummah whose collective organizational efforts are a norm, successful in conducting religious activities in particular.

 

Due to the request of some of the sisters, in as gentle way as possible, it is necessary to bring our attention to a rather disquieting mannerism during the Eid Khutbah (lecture). Immediately after the salat, while the khateeb is lecturing, a small number of people are getting up and walking. Some are talking, some are leaving, and forming conversational groups (particularly in the ladies section.)

 

All of us should clearly realize that salat and khutbah are one entity and we are present to please Allah (SWT). We should all listen to the khutbah, honor the khateeb and rejoice after the salah and khutbah. As an elder of the community, who has been part of organizing Eid prayers for over 15 years, "no offense is meant to anyone". Let us be simply knowledgeable and exemplary in our acts.

 

C. Azeez ul Haq

 

 

Muslim Student Association Officer Elections

 

Recently on the Ohio State University campus, the Muslim Student Association held elections for new officers for the remaining of this 1996 year and for next year. The results were as such:

Br. Safwan Halabi - Amir
Br. Muhammad Abdul Haq - Secretary
Br. Samer Suleiman - Treasurer
Sr. Bonita McGee - Information
Sr. Habeeba Gaiter - Sisters' Affairs

 

 

CAIR Media-Relations Training Workshop Planned

 

What: Ibrahim Hooper, National Communications Director for the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), will conduct a workshop to train Muslims in
techniques of effective media and public relations.
When: Saturday, June 8,
1996 10 am-12:30 pm, Inshallah
Where: Islamic Center, 1428 E. Broad St.
Who: All are welcome. Please RSVP XXX-XXXX Admission is free. Donations to
CAIR appreciated. Sponsored by IFCO Public Relations Committee

Women's Get-Together

In response to a request from some sisters, the Board of Trustees invites all women to an open discussion on June 16th at noon in the sister's Meeting Room of the Omar Mosque. 

• Do you want a women's organization under the ISGC?
• How would you visualize this organization?
• What role would you like to play?

June 1995 IQRA! Celebrates its First Anniversary

This month IQRA! celebrates its first anniversary as the newsletter of the Islamic Society of Greater Columbus. However, IQRA! was established originally as the newsletter of Muslim women's Network. Sr. Hiba Nasser talked to IQRA! about the journey of this publication from dreams to reality.

"Sister Daaiyah Saleem and I had been thinking about a newsletter to serve women's issues. the Sisters at the English Study Circle discussed that and decided to start a newsletter back in November," Sr. Hiba said. "The name IQRA! came from the Holy Quran: Recite. It was the first word in the revelation. we chose Muslim Women's Network not to establish a new organization but rather to support a network for women; to express that IQRA! was a women's effort to help women and open a forum to provide education and support for them. The newsletter started in November 1993 with only 2 ads worth $8. That was the estimation of how much it would cost to produce 76 copies. That was all our ambition at that time," she added.

By May 1994, the editorial board of IQRA! met with members of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) to discuss the idea of expanding IQRA! to meet the needs of the community at large rather than to meet women's needs only. Sr. Daa'iyah, editor in chief then, felt, "IQRA! seems to have tapped into a need of the community."

IQRA! was re-organized in terms of staff, orientation and goals as of June 1994. The new team adopted a 5 point scope which it has adhered to since. The newly organized IQRA!@ sought to expand its objective from a focus on women's issues to a community wide plan to unite, inform, mobilize, entertain, and educate Muslim readers in the greater Columbus area. the team members have utilized a new two-tier agenda to implement their five goals: Producing a quality newsletter and building a sustainable institution.

First, an administrative structure was formed composed of an editorial board and staff members. Job descriptions served as a primary tool for new positions like business and financial manager, public relations, marketing and distribution, as well as the traditional editorial and reporting jobs. Searching for qualified and dedicated staff members was and remains the biggest challenge facing IQRA!

Second, the character of the newsletter was enriched with new and innovative focus on community problems investigations emphasizing subject, content, and format. These include fixed theme columns like Family Matters, Children's Page, and Why Not, that address specific educational needs, the social news page, ISGC news, and Dear Editor, which reach out to interact with the community, and Poll-time which surveys public opinion on certain events. Recently, the concept of reporting was extended from writers' personal impression to the more time consuming concept of "investigation" to bring together different sides of the issues, like the Oklahoma Bombing coverage, the Hajj issue, and the Islamic schools issue.

The changes in IQRA! were significantly reflected in distribution, which jumped from 400 in the first issue to 600 typically, 750 in Eid, and 900-1000 in Special Events. Unfortunately, feedback to questionnaires and suggestions has not been encouraging. IQRA! is in desperate need for readers help through objective criticism to improve.

The business orientation also changed to include other professionals like lawyers, realtors, and doctors. Recently, IQRA! took a new turn. After Eid, IQRA! collected formal annual subscriptions. The resource base, thanks be to Allah, and the readers' contribution has improved dramatically. IQRA! takes pride in that it does not burden the ISGC or the MSA with requests for funds. IQRA! has become self-sufficient with enough surplus to cover at least 3 issues in advance. The current challenge is to cope with the growing mailing requests from across the country and re-design the objectives to include non-Muslims who are interested in IQRA! despite its focus on Muslims.

We thank all the brothers and sisters who are dedicated to keep working on improving IQRA! We are working into having IQRA! available electronically. we hope that in the near future we will read IQRA! published in color. we are very proud of our young contributors. Thanks to 13 year old Basil Gohar who is providing us with his beautiful "Why Not?" articles. we are very grateful to the Abdullah family who are supporting printing IQRA! at a super low price, coping with our short-tie request to do the job, and helping in the distribution process.

We made a pledge on the first day to make this publication a quality newsletter. However, we are humans and very deficient and error prone. We need your help to minimize mistakes and expand. At this point we are in need for your ideas and comments. Give us your thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Hopefully this effort will be accepted for Allah's sake.

May 1995 Dear Editor

R.I.P. The Constitution

On the evening of April 7, 1994, MSA members were supposed to vote on a proposed constitution to replace the current one. The announcement sent by mail to all members, hung on the door of the masjid, and made after about three Jumaa prayers specified the meeting to start at 9:15 pm. Fortunately most of the brothers and sisters understood what the MSA executive committee meant and they all ignored the 9:15 pm meeting start time and came after Isha prayer to vote.

The meeting started and it took the MSA about 20 to 25 minutes to count the MSA members present. The count was 64, two short of the quorum required to begin the vote. Instead of following the constitution by adjourning the meeting for lack of Quorum, the 'majority' of the people present voted to continue with the meeting especially that it seemed that more pope were trickling through the door.

Alhamdulillah, the ISGC constitution passed with flying colors (55 out of the 66 present voted for it). the Muslims in Columbus should rest in peace now and sleep in comfort, we have the new constitution and the new organization.

Unfortunately, at least one Muslim will not sleep comfortably or rest in peace. According to this Muslim, a very dangerous precedent was set many times today. the more disturbing fact is that most of the brothers and sisters that are active in the Masjid have little or no regard for the constitution. If the pope who are most serious about Islam are at such a level then this Muslim feels sorry for our society.

The last time I checked, in Islam, ends to not justify the means. Even if the ISGC constitution was the best thing that ever happened to this community, the means that lead to its adoption should have been avoided.

Rached Zantout

Nov. 1994 Dear Editor

Meeting Courtesy

As Salaam Alaikum,
I attended a MSA general assembly meeting a week ago to participate in questions, answers and concerns. It was totally unfair that some of the members, that are brothers, were able to hear clearly, understand questions and respond with answers. While the other members, that are sisters, had to listen to parts of questions and half answers. The brothers were allowed verbal or written questions and comments while sisters were only allowed written questions and concerns. This caused total misunderstanding for I both brothers and sisters.

All members of the MSA should be respected regardless whether they are sisters or brothers. Is not that a major principle of Islam? Aren't male and female equal although they are not the same? Isn't it time to get rid of our cultural background and follow the genuine Islam? We can have courtesy through providing some way for everyone to hear and understand questions and answers in an Islamic way. Islam is our religion, and we are striving to keep it our way of life. Whatever a Muslim strives to do, he strives to perfect it.

Your sister in Islam Rhoda Abdul-Mateen

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

May 1994 In Response to You

Due to editing decisions, some minor changes were made to the article "Religion Not Culture" by sisters Inas Hendawy and Farida EI-Hennawy, published in the March [April] issue. At the request of the authors, we here publish a part of their article that was edited:

" ... Also, many women do not respect hijab regulations (especially being not tight or short), and some uncover (partially) their hair. Aisha (RAA) said: 'If the Prophet (PBUH) saw what women did, he would prevent them (from praying in the mosque) like the women of 2:349) ... "

We would like to comment on this saying of Aisha. Though we certainly respect her opinion, she was a scholar and a judge of the highest caliber in the early Muslim community, there is a distinction between a hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and one from Aisha. More importantly, the context of her statement is not clear. However, we did not feel omitting this material changed or weakened the authors' letter.

We regret that we didn't define our editorial policy clearly enough in, advance. Since we are reorganizing with the MSA for future issues of Iqra!, we will, insha'allah, publish a detailed policy statement on editing next issue.