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Film follows ‘honest struggle’ of formerly incarcerated Muslims reentering society

December 2, 2019
Darrell Davis was 18 years old when he was first sent to prison. By the time the former gang chief was released in 2013, after being found guilty of murder, aggravated battery and armed violence, he had spent more than half of his life on the inside. He had also discovered a new identity as a faithful Muslim, taking on the name “Sadiq,” Arabic for “honest,” as part of his resolution to leave behind his previous life of violence. The documentary “The Honest Struggle,” directed by four-time Emmy Award-winning... Read more about Film follows ‘honest struggle’ of formerly incarcerated Muslims reentering society

College Board to expand testing options for AP exam on Muslim holiday

November 15, 2019

Responding to concerns about a possible conflict between Advanced Placement exams and a major Muslim holiday next school year, the College Board will expand testing options for the holy day of Eid al-Fitr in 2021.

College Board officials said Wednesday that tests planned for May 13 of that year — the expected date of the Eid holiday — would be given a second time on May 18, to support students observing the...

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Muslim woman who was told to remove her hijab at Denver arena speaks out

November 14, 2019
Gazella Bensreiti says out of all the times she has visited the Pepsi Center, this one was different. "When I entered Will Call, the security person that was working immediately waved at me and told me that I had to 'take that thing off' of my head," she said during a news conference outside the Colorado Muslim Society Wednesday morning... Read more about Muslim woman who was told to remove her hijab at Denver arena speaks out

sawm

Sawm means "fasting" during Ramadan, the ninth lunar month of the Islamic calendar. This fast obliges Muslims to abstain from food, water, sexual activity and evil thoughts and acts during the daylight hours. Such restraint serves to cultivate patients and commitment, and reminds the faithful of those who daily go hungry, underscoring the need for social justice.

Sustainable Halal Meat is Making Inroads in Muslim Communities

November 4, 2019
On a tidy two-lane road outside Columbus, Ohio, a hand-painted sign in red and white script hangs on the edge of a corn field. It reads “Bismi Allah Farms,” derived from the Arabic phrase “bismillah,” meaning “in the name of Allah,” or God, and a word said in reverence by practicing Muslims numerous times a day. But “farm” is a bit of a misnomer. The four-acre operation, run by Ahmed Fram, a Moroccan immigrant and his family, is actually a licensed halal slaughter facility, where a centuries-old, sacred religious ritual converges with modern demand in a two-car garage retrofitted for the... Read more about Sustainable Halal Meat is Making Inroads in Muslim Communities

Moses; Musa

Moses is a Biblical prophet who is credited with leading the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage and teaching them the divine laws at Mount Sinai. The story of Moses is told in the book of Exodus in the Bible and is also told in the Qur’an, where this prophet is called Musa.

Lawsuit: Muslim boy questioned at Ohio school about religion

November 1, 2019
The parents of a 10-year-old Muslim boy who said he was questioned by an Ohio student teacher about his patriotism and religious beliefs and was told to undress to determine if he had been physically abused at home have filed a federal lawsuit claiming the boy's civil rights were violated last November.
The lawsuit filed last week names the Lakeview Local School District, a teacher, the student teacher and a school nurse as defendants. The district is based in Cortland, roughly 65 miles (105 kilometers) southeast of...
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Muslim Students Association (MSA)

In 1963, the Muslim Students Association (MSA) was organized to promote religious unity, through education and mutual aid, among Muslim international students at North American colleges. The MSA laid the groundwork for numerous national organizations, including the Islamic Medical Association (1967), the Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers (1969), the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (1972), and the Islamic Society of North America (1982).

mihrab

The mihrab is the niche in the wall of a mosque indicating the direction (qiblah) of the Ka’bah in Makkah, thus the direction of ritual prayer.

hadith

Hadith is a narrative account or report of Muhammad’s deeds and actions. These reports were preserved and later collected to form the Sunnah of the prophet, second only to the authority of the Qur’an for knowing how to live in proper submission to God.

ta’lim

Ta’lim means “education, teaching.” Most Muslim communities offer classes called ta’lim to teach new Muslims about the Qur’an and hadith, the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and especially the performance of religious duties such as the salat (ritual prayer).

Islamic Society of North America

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) was established in 1982 to serve as an umbrella organization for Sunni Muslim student and professional groups across the country. ISNA, with national headquarters in Plainfield, Indiana, sponsors national and regional conferences, youth camps and educational opportunities and publishes the magazine Islamic Horizons.

New England art exhibition shows another side of American Muslims

October 28, 2019
Next week, the Massachusetts State House in Boston will house a collection of artwork by 24 Muslim artists from the Midwest to Massachusetts. The artwork is part of the annual art series “More Than My Religion,” now in its fifth year, a project organized by New England Muslim artists to reflect American Muslims’ multifaceted identities beyond their religious practice. “We’re focusing on American Muslims because their narrative has been the most hijacked,” said organizer Irum Haque, a pastel artist in Westford, Massachusetts. “We want to reclaim who we are and tell our own real stories. And... Read more about New England art exhibition shows another side of American Muslims

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