"Americans are not your enemy" - Obama
Washington, D.C. - Tuesday January 27, 2009
President Obama chose the Arabic-languagesatellite station Al-Arabiya for his first TV interview since theelection. Sitting down with host Hisham Melhem, Obama said that his"job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americansare not your enemy."
In the interview, President Obama mentions that he has Muslimfamily members and has lived before in Muslim countries. He calls fora "language of respect" when conversing with the Muslimworld. Obama also describes the need to communicate to the Americanpeople that "the Muslim world is filled with extraordinarypeople who simply want to live their lives and see their childrenlive better lives."
While Obama speaks of mutual respect, communication, and greaterunderstanding, he acknowledges that "ultimately, people aregoing to judge me not by my words but by my actions and myadministration's actions." Many in the Muslim world will watchthis interview and respond with "so far, so good." Then they will want to wait and see.
Obama's "Message to the Muslims"
Washington, D.C. - Wednesday January 21, 2009
In his Inaugural Address, President Obama directed a few commentsto listeners in the Muslim world. His words were refreshingly directand no-nonsense:
"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based onmutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West:Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption anddeceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrongside of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing tounclench your fist."
Earlier in the speech, President Obama praised as a strength the"patchwork heritage" of the United States, recognizing that"we are a nation of Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus – andnonbelievers."
When reciting the oath of office, Obama proudly pronounced his full name:
BarackHussein Obama.
A previous editorialin the Los Angeles Times recommended that it would be perfectly appropriate for him to use his full name, without shame. Obama'sMuslim heritage should not be taboo, nor should be his attempts to reach out to Muslims.
There is much anticipation about the future of the Obama administration. If these initial steps mean anything, it is that President Obama will be engaged in the Muslim world, in a way that will hopefully move people towards honest dialog and action.
How was Obama's speech received in the USA?
-
“Encouraging statement" (CAIR - Council on American-Islamic Relations) Washington, D.C.
Muslims realize marriage to be the very foundation of our familylife and foundation of any great society. Building communities through joining together of families and kinship develops the larger society of our entire world. Islam is all about rights and limits and provides clear direction for both the bride and the groom, helping them to make the best choices to build their lives together in love for Allah and love for each other. Respect, honor and dignity always play an important role in the life a believer and certainly in marriage do we find the same to be true. Responsibilities and duties of men are equally emphasized in Islam as for women. All of this is necessary to provide the correct framework for the balance of family life and the fulfillment of both partners.
Preparing For Marriage
Valentine's Day
Tuesday February 10, 2009
Readour article on “Celebrating Holidays – Not Islam”
HomeOwnership - Is Islamic Financing the Answer?
FridayFebruary 11, 2009
Today it seems we all know someone suffering for fear of losingtheir home – others are out looking for the good deals resultingfrom foreclosures.
Our entire economy is in a sate of flux, shifting the blame fromlenders to owners to developers and back to lenders and thendefaulting on notes and the properties go back to the lenders, etc.It is obvious the mismanagement and poor business practices havecontributed greatly to this down turn in our financial world today.Borrowing, lending and collection on notes is all a part of thecredit business. However, the huge rise in foreclosures andbankruptcies make it clear – something is definitely wrong with thesystem.
Whose fault is it? Who can we make the scape-goat? While manywould divert attention away from their own area of involvement, wecan easily understand that, just as it takes two to Tango, it takesmore than one individual to lend or borrow money. So, all are guilty.
This definitely co-insides with what Islam teaches us aboutdealing in the practice of lending and borrowing. While it isperfectly permissible and in some cases, highly encouraged, lendingcannot be used as a commodity for making money on itself. There aresome very practical reasons for this, as well as being against theteachings of the monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity andIslam. The Bible and the Quran make it clear, usury (interest onloans) is not permitted under any circumstances. This will cause fora depletion of the medium of exchange (the bills and coins) and because for the influx of new currency as well as the eventual loss ofvalue of currency, as we have witnessed over the last 90 years.
Putting it in simple terms, the financial system of the west todayis like a patient with a blood transfusion from one arm to the otherarm –with a slow leak in the middle. Eventually, there willbe so little left it will have no value anymore.
Compare the situation of the west with that of the nationaleconomies of the Middle East today – relatively stable and theyappear to be in the best position to endure the inevitable crisissoon to effect the entire globe. However, the world economic crisisis affecting every corner of the planet, especially where jobs arebeing cut and work is coming to a standstill. Layoffs, firings andreduction in forces are noted everywhere.
Now the good news. Islamic finance has proven in today's market to be the real salvation for those who invested together as the shar'iah compliant mortgages require. Homes financed with Islamic loans are under the protected bubble in the housing market. The shared risk factor and ban on interest-based transactions has proven successful beyond anyone's imagination in the finacial world. Experts are at aloss to explain away what has obviously become the only real successful return on venture capital in today's market place. Thegrowth and health of Islamic financial institutions has gained the attention of investors, speculators and experts in all areas of economics, but especially regarding housing. Experts have determined Islamic finance is responsible for close to three quarters of atrillion dollars in assets and is on the upward move between 10 to 30percent each year.
What is the secret?
These kinds of morguages and protection offered to both the borrower and the lender – are protected by the very One who created the universe in the first place. He Knows without doubt what will work and what won't work. He has allowed thehumans to run their course, disobeying him in their worldly transactions, dealing in a form of high stacks gambling and taking advantage of the working class while extorting those with poor credit ratings and forcing them into higher interest rates, until the whole of the economic structure of the world is about to collapse.
All but those who have follow the golden rule - “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you” and never take a gain on the medium of exchange itself.
"Americans are not your enemy." - Obama
Tuesday January 27, 2009
President Obama chose the Arabic-languagesatellite station Al-Arabiya for his first TV interview since theelection. Sitting down with host Hisham Melhem, Obama said that his"job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americansare not your enemy."
In the interview, President Obama mentions that he has Muslimfamily members and has lived before in Muslim countries. He calls fora "language of respect" when conversing with the Muslimworld. Obama also describes the need to communicate to the Americanpeople that "the Muslim world is filled with extraordinarypeople who simply want to live their lives and see their childrenlive better lives."
While Obama speaks of mutual respect, communication, and greaterunderstanding, he acknowledges that "ultimately, people aregoing to judge me not by my words but by my actions and myadministration's actions." Many in the Muslim world will watchthis interview and respond with "so far, so good." Thenthey will want to wait and see.
Obama's Message to the Muslim World
Wednesday January 21, 2009
In his Inaugural Address, President Obama directed a few commentsto listeners in the Muslim world. His words were refreshingly directand no-nonsense:
"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based onmutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globewho seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West:Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not whatyou destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption anddeceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrongside of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing tounclench your fist."
Earlier in the speech, President Obama praised as a strength the"patchwork heritage" of the United States, recognizing that"we are a nation of Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus – andnonbelievers."
When reciting the oath of office, Obama proudly pronounced hisfull name: BarackHussein Obama.
A previous editorialin the Los Angeles Times recommended that it would be perfectlyappropriate for him to use his full name, without shame. Obama'sMuslim heritage should not be taboo, nor should be his attempts toreach out to Muslims.
There is much anticipation about the future of the Obamaadministration. If these initial steps mean anything, it is thatPresident Obama will be engaged in the Muslim world, in a way thatwill hopefully move people towards honest dialog and action.
How was Obama's speech received in the USA?
-
“Encouraging statement" (CAIR - Council on American-Islamic Relations) Washington, D.C.
