Islam

West Philadelphia mosque takes on matchmaking of black Muslim women | Lexington Herald Leader

July 6, 2017
Naeemah Khabir, a 35-year-old devout Muslim who works for the Department of Veteran Affairs in Philadelphia, has attended matchmaking events from New Brunswick, N.J., to Queens, N.Y. She has used several matchmaking services. Khabir, of Elkins Park, who has a master's degree from Syracuse University, even hired a private matchmaker for nine months until the counselor assigned to her conceded that race was part of her problem. "When you look at all Muslims, of all races and ethnicities, who has it the hardest? Black women unequivocally have it the worst. Black men have it bad, too, but black... Read more about West Philadelphia mosque takes on matchmaking of black Muslim women | Lexington Herald Leader

Exhibit showcases the earliest stirrings of American religious diversity | Religion News Service

July 5, 2017
WASHINGTON (RNS) Enter the “Religion in Early America” exhibit and there are objects you expect to find: Bibles, a hymnal and christening items. But on closer inspection, a broader picture of faith in the Colonial era emerges: a Bible translated into the language of the Wampanoag people, the Torah scroll of the first synagogue in North America and a text written by a slave who wanted to pass on the essentials of his Muslim heritage.  Source: ... Read more about Exhibit showcases the earliest stirrings of American religious diversity | Religion News Service

Sporty hijabs encourage Muslim girls to play with confidence | Religion | stltoday.com

June 30, 2017
Muslim student athletes at one U.S. high school no longer have to be slowed down by worries that their headscarves might fall off. Deering High School in Portland, Maine, is providing sport hijabs with the goal of making Muslim girls comfortable — and boosting their participation in sports. The lightweight scarves stay put and are less bulky than other hijabs, garments that cover the hair and are worn by many Muslim women to express their faith. Source: ... Read more about Sporty hijabs encourage Muslim girls to play with confidence | Religion | stltoday.com

To Understand How Religion Shapes America, Look To Its Early Days : NPR

June 29, 2017
Religion has played an outsized role in U.S. history and politics, but it's one that has often gone unrecognized in U.S. museums. "As a focused subject area, it's been neglected," says Peter Manseau, a scholar and writer installed last year as the first full-time religion curator at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. America's exceptional commitment to religious freedom stems from the diversity of its faith traditions. The rebellious attitudes prevalent in frontier settlements fostered the growth of evangelical... Read more about To Understand How Religion Shapes America, Look To Its Early Days : NPR

After a marathon late-night debate, Prince William County mosque plan approved - The Washington Post

June 29, 2017
On one side, impassioned Prince William County residents dressed in green shirts argued that constructing a new house of worship would disrupt their quiet community, choke the roads with traffic and go against the zoning regulations meant to protect the rural enclave. On the other side, their Muslim neighbors said that all they wanted was a place to pray in their own community — and that opposition to their plans to construct a mosque might arise out of not just technical arguments about land use but also bias against Islam. After hours of heated testimony on Tuesday night, which included... Read more about After a marathon late-night debate, Prince William County mosque plan approved - The Washington Post

On Eid 2017, a peek into the lives of Puerto Rican Muslims | Religion News Service

June 28, 2017
(The Conversation) For Juan, Ramadan is a balancing act. On the one hand is his religious faith and practice. On the other is his land, his culture, his home – Puerto Rico. Although he weaves these two elements of his identity together in many ways, during Ramadan the borderline between them becomes palpable. For the 3,500 to 5,000 Puerto Rican Muslims like Juan, the holy month of fasting brings to the surface the tensions they feel in their daily life as minorities – Muslims among their Puerto Rican family and Puerto Ricans in the Muslim community. So, who are the Puerto Rican Muslims and... Read more about On Eid 2017, a peek into the lives of Puerto Rican Muslims | Religion News Service

‘Dalya’s Other Country’ portrays Muslim American mother and daughter | Religion News Service

June 28, 2017
For Rudayna Aksh, the decision to bring her 13-year-old daughter, Dalya Zeno, from Aleppo to Los Angeles was made for her. “We were sleeping one night,” Aksh remembers. “We heard, like, a big bomb around our house.” The Syrian war had begun and young girls were being kidnapped. “The war didn’t leave any choice for me,” she continues. “I had to come here with my daughter.” Those are the first words of “Dalya’s Other Country,” a new film by Julia Meltzer that premieres Monday night (June 26) on the PBS... Read more about ‘Dalya’s Other Country’ portrays Muslim American mother and daughter | Religion News Service

Interfaith coalition launches ‘Know Your Neighbor’ campaign

June 23, 2017

At a time of growing assaults and intimidation of Muslim Americans, the Islamic Networks Group has partnered with 70 interfaith organizations to launch a “Know Your Neighbor” campaign. The effort is intended to encourage individuals and groups to encounter people of faith different from their own.  

Original Source: Interfaith coalition launches ‘Know Your Neighbor’ campaign - Cruxnow
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Sporty hijabs help Muslim girls keep up pace in athletics

June 15, 2017
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Muslim student athletes at one U.S. high school no longer have to be slowed down by worries that their headscarves might fall off. Deering High School in Portland, Maine, is providing sport hijabs with the goal of making Muslim girls comfortable — and boosting their participation in sports. The lightweight scarves stay put and are less bulky than other hijabs, garments that cover the hair and are worn by many Muslim women to express their faith. Source: Sporty hijabs help Muslim girls keep up pace in... Read more about Sporty hijabs help Muslim girls keep up pace in athletics

Quran Stolen from NC Airport Chapel; Note Found Criticizing Islam - World Religion News

April 10, 2017
PEOPLE KEEP STEALING FROM CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA AIRPORT CHAPEL. Copies of the Quran were stolen from the interfaith chapel at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Co-director of the chapel, Reverend Alice White, a Pentecostal minister discovered the theft, which happened when she was busy at work in the chapel office.

Source: Quran Stolen from NC Airport Chapel; Note Found Criticizing Islam - World Religion News

Muslim Community Supports Victims of London Terror Attack - World Religion News

April 2, 2017
MUSLIMS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN IN SOLIDARITY OF WESTMINSTER ATTACK VICTIMS. Muslims in London are coming together in solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attack outside the UK parliament on Wednesday, March 22. The Launchgood campaign was started on Wednesday night by Muddassar Ahmed to raise money to support families of victims of the Westminster terror attack. Mr. Ahmed was one of the attack witnesses. He was inside the Parliament building attending a meeting when the attack happened.

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Muslim Schoolchildren Bullied By Fellow Students And Teachers : Code Switch : NPR

April 1, 2017
Muslim children are more likely to be bullied in school than children of other faiths. A new survey by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) reveals that 42 percent of Muslims with children in K–12 schools report bullying of their children because of their faith, compared with 23 percent of Jewish and 20 percent of Protestant parents.

Source: Muslim Schoolchildren Bullied By Fellow Students And Teachers : Code...

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