PSA for All Muslim Masjid/Mosque/Islamic Center Project Developers

One of the most important things you NEED to know before entering any planning commission/zoning committee meetings:

In 2000 a Republican-backed FEDERAL LAW (enforceable by the U.S. Department of Justice) was enacted that protects the rights of the developers the same way it protected the rights of those seeking to develop Park51 in New York; regardless of the absence of foresight into their choice of location.

CHAPTER 21C--PROTECTION OF RELIGIOUS EXERCISE IN LAND USE AND BY INSTITUTIONALIZED PERSONS - SOURCE

The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act states that, "No government shall impose or implement a land use regulation in a manner that imposes a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person, including a religious assembly or institution," unless it meets very strict conditions.

Nor may any government inflict a regulation that discriminates "on the basis of religion or religious denomination." Thus, it is clearly designed to protect individuals and houses of worship from discriminatory and unduly burdensome zoning regulations, and protects the religious exercise of all Americans.

Knowledge is power.

Best wishes.

An example of sharing outside of Facebook
Comment No. 22

See Also: http://www.prlog.org/10884500  

MUSLIMS PRAYING IN PUBLIC 'THREATENING'?

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Muslimah Writers Alliance Director, Aishah Schwartz, addresses post-9/11 Islamophobic climate of misunderstanding and labeling actions of Muslims as 'suspicious' and 'weird' fueling rise in unwarranted investigative procedures

WASHINGTON, D.C. (MWA) March 8, 2010 – American citizen and Director of Muslimah Writers Alliance (MWA), Aishah Schwartz, has often been asked, "Why do you live abroad?" One response to this question can be attributed to the fact that she has always lived near water; thus, living in proximity of the crystal clear, blue and green marbled shore of Egypt's Red Sea holds a natural appeal. But one of the primary reasons Ms. Schwartz has lived in Egypt since 2007, stems from how her life was transformed after becoming Muslim nearly eight years ago in April of 2002.

Embracing a New Identity

As a Caucasian American, Ms. Schwartz spent the first 41-years of her life as a member of the 'majority'. When she decided to embrace Islam as her religion and became Muslim, Ms. Schwartz suddenly found herself not only a new Muslim, but entering previously unchartered territory as a member of a ultra-minority; Caucasian, American, professional, female, Muslim-wearing-a-head-scarf, working in the litigation department of an internationally renowned downtown Washington, D.C. law firm. That was a lot to digest, even for her, let alone her friends, family and co-workers!

Testing the Waters of Corporate Diversity

However, Ms. Schwartz describes herself as greatly blessed in her transition, particularly where it related to work, as it happened that her employer had been recognized for its corporate diversity policy.

After adapting from working in the small town law firms of South Carolina to life in the 'big city', a year-and-a-half into her new post, and just three months after becoming Muslim, Ms. Schwartz decided to adopt wearing the traditional Muslim head scarf, coupled with a change in wardrobe meticulously chosen to fully cover her body, while maintaining a level corporate professionalism.

It was with a natural degree of apprehension and mixed confidence that she entered the law firm that monumental 'first' day sporting a newfound sense of 'style'.

Gazing at her reflection in the mirrored walls of an office elevator, Ms. Schwartz wrote in a November 2005 blog post, "My cheeks were flushed and my heart was racing as I contemplated what would happen once the doors opened and I stepped out."

To her great relief, the law firm's reputation for corporate diversity turned out to be well-earned. Her friends and colleagues embraced her life-change with warmth and acceptance—and scores of questions!

Braving Post-9/11 Islamophobia

That is not to say, however, that Ms. Schwartz never experienced any of the post-9/11 Islamophobic backlash widely politicized in mainstream media, and more recently brought to light in the case of seven Muslim men detained in Henderson, Nevada; their 'offense'? Stopping to answer the call to prayer in a shopping center parking lot—an act deemed by onlookers as 'weird' and 'suspicious'.

An instance that Ms. Schwartz recalls having personally affected her occurred while crossing a busy downtown D.C. street one afternoon. A passerby, observing the conservativeness of her outfit and the scarf covering her head, paused to glare in irrefutable disdain, asking, "Where'd you get that costume?"

Another instance, occurring one morning as she commuted to work, transpired as the bus Ms. Schwartz was riding approached her stop. Standing, in the aisle of the bus as she anticipated stepping off, a man sitting opposite another proclaimed, "They're everywhere...whaddya gonna do?"

But one of the most disappointing reactions affecting Ms. Schwartz occurred in the Spring of 2007. On re-entering the United States through New York after a trip to Morocco, the U.S. immigration and customs officer, on returning her entry-stamped passport offered, instead of the compulsory "welcome home", a disapproving glance and sarcastically stated, "good luck".

Toward a Better Understanding

Ms. Schwartz's experiences, in addition to those of the seven 'threatening' men praying in a Nevada parking lot, and the more recently reported instance of a Muslim woman attempting to board a Manchester, UK flight to Islamabad and was denied a boarding pass because she refused to go through the airport's x-ray vision full body scanner, are just a few examples of what the American Muslim community—and Muslims worldwide— are facing in this, the post-9/11, war on terror, media-spun climate of Islamophobia.

MWA Director Receives Honorary Invitation to Bridges Foundation 'Objective Thinking' Workshop in Cairo, Egypt

WASHINGTON, D.C. (MWANET) Jan. 30, 2010 - Muslimah Writers Alliance Director, Aishah Schwartz, has been extended an honorary invitation to attend the February 11-13, 2010 Bridges Foundation workshop, 'Objective Thinking' in Cairo, Egypt.

The 'Objective Thinking' workshop to be presented by Dr. Tarek Abou Ghazala, Founder and Chairman of The Circle for intellectual Revival of Concept Learning and Education. The Circle is an intellectual organization dedicated to producing a moderate Muslim mind that can reason using objective or value thinking. It's work is based on the Quran, the Sunnah and the scientific foundation of the early Islamic scholarly work. His workshops have been presented at Universities, Intellectual Institutions, National Libraries and Think Tanks in locations such as Syria, Morocco and the American University in Washington, D.C.

The primary target audience intended to benefit from training received through the 'Objective Thinking' workshop, is the Muslim Youth community, who represent the fresh hope that the Muslim community at-large will awaken from its mental stagnation.

The workshop is offered in both Arabic (Feb. 11, 12 & 13) and English (Feb. 12 & 13).

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FEE SCHEDULE, PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS, DATES
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BIOGRAPHY DR. TAREK ABOU-GHAZALA
BIOGRAPHY AISHAH SCHWARTZ

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How the Grinch Stole Ramadan - the Rest of the Story...

By Aishah Schwartz
Sept. 21, 2009

In my days of reflection this Ramadan I experienced and felt many things, one of which, of course, was hunger! While feeling hungry may have caused some to think of, pray for, or extend a random act of charity for the hungry in this world, for me the awareness of hunger brought to mind something completely different altogether. 

I paused to reflect on the countless other people in the world sitting very much alone, like me, taking every suhoor alone and breaking their fast alone…in fact, when I first came to Egypt, I met a woman who had done just that – for TWENTY YEARS after her husband died and her four children had all gone on with their own lives, raising their own families. They visited her, of course, but in those notable hours of Ramadan – she, like me, like so many others – was "home alone".

So, while many remembered the hungry in Ramadan; I remembered the lonely. 

In remembering the lonely, I also paused to reflect on the state of the Muslim Ummah, asking myself again and again – how? Why? Can it truly be that we are so preoccupied with our own lives that we either cannot or refuse to see what is in front of our eyes?

One of the most talked about teachings of Islam is to be a good neighbor; something that, particularly in Ramadan, we should strive all the more to be.

However, as one day moved into the next throughout Ramadan – my neighbors and friends were all so preoccupied with their own lives that nary a one stepped up-to-the plate in inviting me for Iftar or to join them for taraweeh at the mosque. I even asked five different people (via sms) if anyone could let me know what time the Eid prayer would be - and you guessed it; no replies. 

How could that be?!? One might ask.

Indeed, we should ask.

We should ask ourselves – are we truly good neighbors? 

And closer to home – to all who are reading – do you know a new Muslim? 

Many new Muslims come from backgrounds in Christianity, where, like myself, we spent our congregational time in warm, inviting environments, despite that fact that we ultimately felt that somehow there was something missing in our religious experiences; thus we came to Islam.

But after coming to Islam, the "trouble with new Muslims" – as I have so often heard – is that we take things quite literally; like the teaching to be a good neighbor; like the message of charity and of doing good deeds.

Now, I am not going to offer a listing here of those things that I did in Ramadan for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, but I am going to implore each and every one of you, for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala; take off the blinders – and reach out to your neighbor – reach out to a new Muslim; it's never too late – and the reward is oh, so great, insha'Allah. 

RELATED: 
How the Grinch Stole Ramadan (the poem)
Do YOU Know a New Muslim?

Aishah's Islamic Journey Selected Top Muslim Blog!

America's Muslim Population is Gaining a Hispanic Accent

Featuring MWA Member Khadijah Rivera of Tampa, Florida

In addition to being a member of Muslimah Writers Alliance (MWA), Khadijah Rivera is also President of Piedad, a women's group at the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area Mosque that represents a growing group in the American Islamic Community: Hispanic Muslims. In a Tampa Times, February 9, 2008 article, Khadijah told reporter Sherri Day, "Islam is not a religion of Arabs," said Rivera, who happens to be Puerto Rican. "It may have started as a religion of the Arabs. But we're just regular people, and we're not all Arab." (story here)

Photo (Tampa Times): Khadijah Rivera talks with Silvia Nagi, right, at the Eid Al-Adha carnival in Tampa on Dec. 19. The Latin Muslims meet at least monthly.