Author: Levi Pulkkinen

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/407916_hatecrime07.html

Hate crime and assault charges have been filed against an Auburn man accused of threatening to cut a woman and her infant child at a Seattle health center.

According to police statements, Eric Lee Garner, 24, threatened to harm the woman and her 6-month-old son as she waited in line at the Seattle Indian Health Board office on...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Muslim Public Affairs Council

[mpac.org/article.php?id=843]

Following news of the tragic death of a Southern California imam in a suspicious house fire on June 27, MPAC called on FBI officials to investigate the incident as a possible hate crime. Imam Ali Mohammed founded the High Desert Islamic Society in Victorville eight years ago, built mosques in Barstow and Yermo, and was a well-respected leader of the area’s Muslim community.

Author: Edina Lekovic

Source: Muslim Public Affairs Council

[mpac.org/article.php?id=844]

Last week, MPAC Senior Advisor Dr. Maher Hathout joined a dozen local religious leaders for the Interfaith Inauguration of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's second term.

Hosted by the First AME Church, the Interfaith Inauguration Ceremony featured prayers and inspiring musical performances from the Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddist, and Sikh traditions.
 

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Thaindian News

[thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/dead-mans-religion-sparks-row-malaysian-judge-says-law-inadequate_100214512.html]

The row over Malaysian art director Mohan Singh’s religion following his death has led to a judge observing that there is “inadequacy” in the law over non-Muslims converting to Islam.

Judge Rosnaini Saub made this observation Monday while giving the ruling that Mohan Singh was a Muslim when he died and should be buried as per the...

Author: Edward Wong

Source: The New York Times

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8136500.stm

The body of a Muslim woman, killed in a German courtroom by a man convicted of insulting her religion, has been taken back to her native Egypt for burial.

Marwa Sherbini, 31, was stabbed 18 times by Axel W, who is now under arrest in Dresden for suspected murder.

Husband Elwi Okaz is also in a critical condition in hospital, after being...

Author: Julia Zappei

Source: Syracuse.com

Wire Service: AP

Author: Shahzada Irfan

Source: The Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6513023.html

In the annals of aviation history, names such as the Wright brothers, Charles Lindbergh or Chuck Yeager come to mind. But what about Abbas Ibn Firnas?

Very few people know that this Muslim scholar tied himself to a feathered glider in Cordoba, Spain, in the ninth century and took the first piloted flight in history....

Author: Chetan Chauhan

Source: Hindustan Times

[hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=cb3a0662-b810-40ce-8525-647fddbf7929]

Where political leaders have failed to come up with a plan to save the planet from global warming, religious leaders have succeeded.

On July 6, Islamic leaders from over 50 Muslim countries, including heads of states of Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, will meet in Istanbul to sign an agreement on environment conservation.

An announcement is expected...

Author: Jessica Terrell

Source: The Orange County Register

[ocregister.com/articles/warren-convention-muslims-2483889-interfaith-want]

Speaking to a crowd of nearly 8,000 Muslims at the Islamic Society of North America's annual convention in Washington D.C., Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren called on Muslims and Christians to form an interfaith coalition to combat prejudice and stereotypes.

While Fourth of July revelers staked out seats to watch fireworks at the nearby Capitol Building,...

Author: Alicia Gallegos

Source: South Bend Tribune

[southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090704/News01/907040336/1011/News]

Like any great story about the struggle against adversity and fight to find freedom, Masoud and Shahnaz's journey begins the day they fell in love.

At the time, the Iranian couple knew only that they wanted to marry, even with risk of strict punishment for intermingling their religions.

But the modern day Romeo and Juliet had no idea the depths their...

Author: Paul Vitello

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/technology/internet/05twitter.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Things went smoothly for the first hour of the Twitter experiment at Trinity Church in Manhattan on Good Friday in April.

While hundreds of worshipers watched the traditional dramatization of the Crucifixion from pews in the church, one of New York’s oldest...

Author: Rachel Zoll

Source: The Tennessean

Wire Service: AP

[tennessean.com/article/20090704/NEWS06/907040317/1023/Acceptance+of+U.S.+Muslims+grows+among+other+faiths]

Sayyid Syeed remembers an interfaith event several years ago when a Jewish leader went to embrace him, saw someone snapping a photo, then suddenly pulled back.

"He said to the man, 'Stop,' '' Syeed recalled, " 'I'll lose my job.' ''

Times have changed for the Islamic Society of North...

Author: Michael Slackman and Nazila Fathi

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/world/middleeast/05iran.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

An important group of religious leaders in Iran called the disputed presidential election and the new government illegitimate on Saturday, an act of defiance against the country’s supreme leader and the most public sign of a major split in the country’s...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8132320.stm

A Turkish game show is challenging atheists to reassess their views and win "the biggest prize ever".

Penitents Compete will bring together an Islamic imam, a Jewish rabbi, a Buddhist monk and a Greek Orthodox priest seeking to convert the atheists.

The prize for any converted contestants is an expenses-paid pilgrimage to a holy site of their chosen...