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August 14, 2008 Check out the 30th issue of Islam in 60 seconds. Inside you'll find stories about whats going on throughout the world today! Here are some of the headlines from this issue: - Palestinian Inspirational Poet passes away
- Israel to transfer Gaza tax funds
- Muslim Girls School May Close Due to Budgetary Concerns
- Possible Hate Crime Against Cleveland Muslim
- Muslims killed in Kashmir Protests
| Palestinian Inspirational Poet passes away |
August 9, 2008
Mahmoud Darwish, a prominent Palestinian poet passed away in Houston, TX last week. Darwish's poetry helped spread the message of the Palestinian experience. His work had been translated into more than twenty languages, and won international awards. He often wrote about Palestinian dreams for statehood and is considered an influential leader in establishing the modern Palestinian identity. Darwish's poetry was respected on both sides of the Middle East crisis, with Israel's Education minister suggesting his work for Israeli high schools in the year 2000. He was overruled by the Prime Minister. Darwish possessed an unusual record, as he was once a member of the Israeli Communist Party and later the Palestinian Liberation Organization. Over time he resigned from one to move to the other, and then resigned again. He lived out the remainder of his life in the US. For more information please click here
| | Israel to transfer Gaza tax funds |
August 12, 2008
Israel is to transfer $23 million to the Gaza Strip to pay the salaries of Palestinian civil servants, Israeli sources have said. "These funds will be transferred by the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas. They are for paying the salaries of Abbas's people," Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai told public radio on Tuesday. Israel transfers around $75 million per month to the Palestinian Authority in taxes and customs duties it collects on behalf of the Palestinians to pay the more than 160,000 civil servants in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
| | Muslim Girls School May Close Due to Budgetary Concerns |
August 9, 2008
A girls Muslim school in Oxford, England may be forced to close due to a lack of funding. The school, named "Iqra Girls School", was attempting to raise 2 million pounds (approximately 3.7 million US Dollars) by the end of July, but was unsuccessful. England uses a type of "Faith Based Initiatives" called "Voluntary aided" which also fund non-faith initiatives. Approximately 20% of English state schools are funded through this program. Iqra Girls school is exploring this option. To learn more, please click here. | | Possible Hate Crime Against Cleveland Muslim |
August 12, 2008
In Cleveland, Ohio a Muslim native from Uzbekistan was recently shot in a random act of violence. Police investigated this act as a hate crime but no other motive was available. Fazliddin Yakubov was shot three times while he and his son were purchasing gas by suspect William Neal. Yakubov was recently released from the hospital and appears to be in good spirits. For more information please click here. | | Muslims killed in Kashmir Protests |
August 13, 2008
Indian Military troops killed five Muslim demonstrators in Kashmir without any discernable reason. Indian troops have had a history of killing moderate or peaceful Muslims during such protests in an effort to quell rioters. Recent unrest stems from an order to arbitrarily hand over Kashmiri lands to Hindu religious groups. When questioned, the land transfer was quickly cancelled, however that lead to riots on both sides. According to news reports, Indian vigilantes have been attacking Muslim civilians in an attempt to intimidate them. For more information please click here. | Violence in Pakistan Continues - World Demands Peace
|  August 14, 2008
The humanitarian crisis in Pakistan continues, with rising attacks in Parachinar. Since IIC's initial coverage of the story, the NY Times published a detailed article about the issue, President Bush demanded action from the Pakistani Prime Minister, and numerous grassroot campaigns began to help resolve the attacks against innocent civilians in Pakistan.
Despite the massive world-wide movement for peace, the violence against Shi'ite Muslims is increasing drastically. For the latest reports on this violence, please click here
To see IIC's initial call to action, please click here.
| | Impeachment movement against President Musharraf Grows |
August 14, 2008
A movement to impeach President Musharraf has been growing in the Pakistani parliament. Lawmakers are drafting a list of charges against Musharraf as the first step in impeachment proceedings. It is unknown what the outcome will be, but analysts agree that it will not be a simple or easy process, and Musharraf will likely fight the charges vociferously. While lawmakers in Pakistan focus on this impeachment issue, which will have no functional effect on the country, scores of innocent Pakistani civilians continue to be killed in Taliban attacks within Pakistan's own borders. For more information on the impeachment click here for the latest on the attacks in Parachinar click please click here. | | African Leaders Seek Muslim Unity |
August 11, 2008
The seeming disunity among Muslims in Nigeria at the weekend dominated talks among eminent Muslims in the country as the Muslim Ummah of South West of Nigeria (MUSWEN) was unveiled in Ibadan. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Sa'ad Abubakar, who led leaders in the faith, among which was a former Judge of the World Court, The Hague, Prince Bola Ajibola and a former Minister of Education, Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa, stressed the need for Muslims to continue to be united. "When we come together we can stand up against any other person and when we talk with one voice others will talk twice about trying to devise what separates us. And when we are united we can face challenges that face our Ummah, talking about children out of schools because the parents cannot pay school fees, so many of them who graduated are on the streets without job". For more information click here. | | Egyptian movie confronts sectarian rift |
August 10, 2008
A new big-budget comedy starring two of Egypt's most famous actors is attempting to defuse escalating tensions between the country's Muslim and Christian populations. In Hassan and Marcos Omar Sharif and Adel Imam play a Muslim preacher and Coptic Christian priest who are forced to change their religious identities and go into hiding after both come under fire from fanatics. The comedy is viewed as a way to defuse any inter-religious disputes so that they may calmly and intelligently be discussed. | The IIC provides accurate information about the Islamic faith and Muslim community to government offices, media outlets, and civic organizations. Through educational and interfaith programs, The IIC promotes understanding, community, and trust among people of all faiths and cultures.
By authority of the Islamic Information Center, Washington, DC.
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