Islamic Organizations Offer Shelter for Those 'Riding Out' Ike

Salam/Peace:

Two American Islamic organizations will offer shelter to people trying to avoid the wrath of Hurricane Ike at three locations in the Houston area on Friday.

The Islamic Circle of North America Houston Chapter Relief Department and the Islamic Society of Greater Houston said in a news release early Friday morning that they would provide the basic services of food, water and shelter at three centers which will be open on a 24-hour basis.

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http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;
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New Saudi committee raises awareness about domestic violence and child abuse

Salam/Peace:

JEDDAH: The Committee of Social Protection — a new organization consisting of various government departments acting in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs — has launched a drive to create awareness among health workers about domestic violence and child abuse.

As part of the awareness campaign, health professionals working in private and governmental health facilities in Jeddah are being trained to look for signs of physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and child negligence.

“We are not just focusing on abuse but child negligence as well. For example, there was a child who was admitted to hospital three to four times with the same injuries. It was obvious that there was negligence,” said Dr. Nawaf Al-Herthy, who is chairman of the committee’s Jeddah branch and director of the Jeddah Psychiatric Hospital.

Readh the whole article at:
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article
=113894&d=6&m=9&y=2008

Muslim handles emergencies for Jews during Sabbath

Salam/Peace:

JERUSALEM—In a city marinated in archaic traditions, rigid rituals and surreal customs, Abu Ali still has one of Jerusalem's oddest jobs.

This 52-year-old Muslim works for Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox Jewish community as a so-called Shabbos goy—a service Barack Obama, Colin Powell and Harry Truman also performed in other communities.

From sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, when strictly observant Jews honor the holy day of rest by taking a break from work, TV, laptops, cell phones, shopping and the normal vagaries of life, Abu Ali is there to serve their emergency Sabbath needs.

He turns on air conditioners for families when it's hot. He turns off lights accidentally left on. And he rushes pregnant wives to the hospital. Lots of pregnant wives.

Abu Ali, who asked to be identified only by his nickname because he hasn't told friends and neighbors about his unusual job, is one of a select few Arab-Israelis working as a Shabbos goy in Jerusalem. He's an atypical Muslim serving Orthodox Jews in a city where the two communities more often collide than connect.

[...]

On authorized fliers that Abu Ali hands out, community leaders vouch for his character by noting that he has passed Israeli security checks and worked as a trusted Jerusalem bus driver for 25 years.

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-sabbath-muslim-fill-0911sep11,0,2528570.story

U.K. Muslim cleric starts counseling program for young men, denouncing extremism and terrorism

Salam/Peace:

A SENIOR Muslim cleric involved in a new youth counselling initiative in Kirklees has denounced extremism and terrorism.

And Mufti Shamsul Huda Khan Misbahi pledged to do all he could to prevent extremism among Muslim youth in the area.

He has started a new counselling initiative at the Kanzul-Iman Mosque in Heckmondwike which is proving increasingly popular with teenagers from the Muslim community who are growing up in British society.

[...]

He added: “I have not come across any such cases of Muslim youth under the influence of extremist thinking. However, I will not hesitate to engage with them if I should come across these people.

“I will do anything I can to de-radicalise them. I will speak openly and frankly with them from an Islamic faith education perspective and offer them evidence from our Islamic books which clearly show the Islamic faith denounces all forms of racism, violent extremism and terrorism. There is no place for extremism in Islam.”

Read the whole article at:
http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2008/09/11/muslim-cleric-in-pledge-to-face-teens-problems-86081-21795305/