Title – Ramadan day 12 my office
Date – Tuesday, July 31, 2012 | Ramadan12, 1433
Mosque (not a Mosque) – World Muslim Congress
Address – 2665 Villa Creek Drive, Suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234
Today’s Pictures: No Pictures
Iftaar Time today: 8:31 PM CST
Recommended reading listed below the note
Today, on the eve of 12th Iftaar, I chose to stay in the office, Insha Allah, I will visit at least 25 Mosques this month. A few volunteers joined me during Iftaar to discuss the 8th Annual Unity Day USA to be held on Tuesday, September 11, 2012. We hope to invite a 1000 people; the last highest attendance was 650. This is an event that brings people of all faiths, races and ethnicities together as a step towards building a cohesive America. Please visit www.unitydayusa.com for details.
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| Muslim families serving – 12 year old Zahra Cheema writes (story below) |
At the Unity Day, we recognize and appreciate up to 7 individuals a year who have gone out of their way to build bridges among Americans of all hues. Indeed, it is our duty to honor and cherish those individuals who have dedicated their lives for the purpose. Here is a list of 22 individuals in the last 7 years.
Hon. Len Ellis, Hon. MaryAnn Thompson-Frenk, Dr. Imam Zia Shaikh, Pastor George Mason, Dr. Harbans Lal, Rev. Bill Matthews, Hon. Muriel Pinkus, Rev. Bob Roberts, Bishop Mark Hernandez, Dr. Basheer Ahmed, Hon. Jeff Weiss, Hon. Bob Ray Sanders,Hon. Julie Ann Turner, Hon. John Hammond, Hon. Jonathan Halsey, Hon. Steve Blow, Dr. Rev. Petra Weldes, Hon. Marzuk Jaami and Alexis Yancey, Hon. Late Elliott Dlin, Dr. Robert Hunt, Hon. Sam Hodges, and Hon. Daisy Khan.
This year on Tuesday, September 11, we have another great individual from the Muslim community who will be recognized and 5 others from Hindu, Jewish, Christian and other communities.
We have just begun the process of serving the nation in every which way we can and have ways to go. We have to be a part of the society; a well integrated society is good for every one of its inhabitants in the long run. Please don’t look to the government or me to do it (as some do, I am simply a volunteer and don’t get paid for any one to demand), you do your share and take pride in it.
To paraphrase President John Kennedy, “Ask not what the country can do for you, ask yourselves, what you can do for the country”. It should resonate with Muslims strongly, ask not what the Prophet can do for you, ask yourselves what you can do for the community, not just Muslim but every American; it’s the free will we are blessed with. God tells us to be individually responsible for our acts, and we will be accountable for it individually, and on the Day of the Judgment we are on our own. The best ones among us are those who care for their neighbors.
HOW ARE WE SERVING
We have regular free Medical clinics in most cities in America. In Dallas/ Fort Worth area we have three regular clinics to serve Americans. While the Al-Shifa and Richardson Mosque clinics offer free outpatient checkups, the Ismaili clinic offers extensive services for a small fee to be self operating with full time nurses and the staff. Several other mosques have started smaller clinics. It was an idea that began in the early Muslim societies and gaining momentum in America now, thanks to the Muslim Doctors to do their share in providing medical care to the un-insured.
I do urge Muslims in every City in USA and Canada to write up about their community, an effort must be made such as the following note. Don’t ask the organizations to do it, they have plenty of work to do, ask yourselves what can you do about it, and just do it. We will be happy to share it at the WorldMuslimCongress@yahoogroups.com a service forum about co-existence and at the WorldMuslimCongress.org. Alhamdu Lillah, many a magazines and Journals around the world are republishing the material including ones in Somalia. In the past, Tehran Times, and Jakarta Post have picked a few of the pieces as well as Arab News has published many of the pieces from here. I have mentioned about Ramadan in Dallas Morning News in my article today.
As an example of expressing to encourage others to do the same, here is a 12 year old Zahra Cheema, who writes to her Dad Tariq.
“AA Baba
On Saturday, July 29th, Mama, Ibrahim, Bhaijaan, & I went to a Church called “Holy Ghost Church”. The reason we went was to volunteer in serving food to the homeless. When mama told us that she signed us up, I was pleased because I’ve never volunteered in anything exactly like this. It seemed really interesting, & something new I would love to participate in.
So when we arrived there, a man guided us to the kitchen & on our way in, there were so many mats on the ground & their we’re people sleeping/sitting on them. When I saw that they must’ve spent the night, I thought it was really kind that the Church was letting the homeless stay overnight. We got to the kitchen, & greeted the Auntie that was hosting the event, & right away, I helped her daughter load eggs into a pot before putting it on the stove ready to boil.
The kitchen wasn’t modern at all, so everyone had to do more things manually. Yet still everyone had smiling faces and were happy to help out the less fortunate. The breakfast was a nice typical American breakfast. It consisted of, pancakes, hash browns, different types of fruits, & other sides to go with. Each person was also given out a goody bag with treats in them. After the food was served on a buffet-style table, I started to wash the dishes with Mama.
While we were washing, the boys’ we’re helping pick-up, wash,wipe, & dry each mat. They had to fold the pillows & blankets in a bag. & they sweeper the whole floor while They were eating. The boys did a lot of physical work. Then, mama & I went out of the kitchen to see what was going on. We saw the volunteers pouring the food into each of their plates. It made me happy to see that these people got to eat a generous ammount & fill their small stomachs.
What made me sad/sorry was when I saw a family with a couple, & about 4 children. I thought to myself how hard it must be to have to worry about your 4 children eating everyday. I wondered if this was the only proper breakfast these people were eating all week. “
I am sure you have a story to share, start writing as simple as Zahra has done, ask your kids to do it. They are more expressive than we were at their age, at least that is the case with me.
On the interfaith front, we don’t frequent Churches, Synagogues, Temples and Gurudwaras, as we invite others to join us; we need to visit them as well.
IMAM AND A PASTOR
A pastor in Dallas is observing 30 days of fasting, as a way to connect with Muslims and feel the spiritual part of fasting. Thank God, the public radio in Dallas broadcasted the interview of Dr. Wes McGruder of Rowlett and Imam Yaseen of Plano. Here is the pod cast –
MUSLIMS OBSERVING LENT
For your information, many a Muslims are reciprocating it as well, albeit with criticism. We cherish others when they do our stuff and I hope we can do the same when our folks do the stuff for others. I thank Allah for giving me the guidance to set a few stretched benchmarks – observing lent, commemorating Holocaust, Baptized on the spot where Jesus was baptized and visiting Krishn’s birth place among many other things. Alhamdu Lillah, as a Muslim, I have been standing up for every community and Insha Allah, my dream is to serve every human without reserve or hesitation.
We do have volunteer at various Mosques that have done the work for Habitat for Humanity, soup Kitchens, feeding the homeless, but the burden is on a few, who keep doing again and again. I hope we all make a concerted effort to encourage volunteerism. Our Imams hold the key in changing our perceptions through encouragement to volunteer.
We have to compile all our works together, to encourage more to participate and volunteer in building an America that is good for every American.
If we can raise or invest the funds, we can get a National Muslim paper to update every one about everything we do, and need to do.
Indeed, of the many things we do, we have dedicated this day to bring Americans together and rededicate our pledge to the safety of America.
Jazak Allah Khair
Please mark your calendar for the Unity Day USA, a positive event that brings all Americans Together to rededicate our pledge for a peaceful, prosperous and secure America. We are a part of America and we need to feel and live it. If you liked some of the article, you will like the description of Unity Day USA at www.UnityDayUSA.com
A few other Articles to read if you have the time:
What does God really want?
MikeGhouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.comis updated daily.
