By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democrat Barack Obama’s three decisive wins over rival Hillary Clinton propelled him on Wednesday into the next round of presidential contests on a wave of momentum and sent her scrambling to find an answer.

Obama and Republican front-runner John McCain cruised to victories in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia on Tuesday, with McCain moving closer to clinching his party’s nomination for the November election.

Obama extended his hot streak to eight consecutive wins over Clinton in a hard-fought presidential campaign that appears to be tipping his way. The victories allowed Obama to expand his lead in pledged convention delegates, who will select the Democratic Party’s nominee at its August convention.

“This is the new American majority,” Obama told supporters in Madison, Wisconsin, where the next showdown occurs in a week. “This is what change looks like when it happens from the bottom up.”

Clinton, whose deputy campaign manager resigned in her latest staff shake-up, already was counting on contests in Ohio and Texas in three weeks as her best hope to stop Obama’s surge.

“We’re going to sweep across Texas in the next three weeks,” Clinton said in El Paso, Texas, where she headed on Tuesday before the day’s results were known. She made no mention of the three contests she lost.

McCain’s wins over his last major challenger, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, had him looking toward a general election match-up with the Democrats despite continued qualms among conservatives about his views on immigration, tax cuts and other issues.

“We do not know for certain who will have the honor of being the Democratic Party’s nominee for president. But we know where either of their candidates will lead this country, and we dare not let them,” McCain, an Arizona senator, told supporters in Alexandria, Virginia.

All three of Obama’s wins on Tuesday occurred in fertile territory for him, featuring large populations of the highly educated, high-income and black voters who have favored the Illinois senator.

Obama Expands Support

But exit polls indicated Obama dramatically expanded his support and cut into Clinton’s core groups. Obama led among women, Hispanics, seniors and in every income and education level in Virginia and essentially split the white vote with Clinton.

Obama already had edged past Clinton in the race for pledged delegates who formally select a party nominee at a convention in August. A total of 168 Democratic delegates were at stake in Tuesday’s voting.

Obama had 1,074 pledged delegates to Clinton’s 967, according to a count by MSNBC — well short of the 2,025 needed to clinch the Democratic nomination.

“Tonight, we’re on our way,” Obama said. “But we know how much further we have to go. We know our road will not be easy. But we also know that at this moment the cynics can no longer say our hope is false.”

Clinton’s latest staff defection was deputy campaign manager Mike Henry. He was brought into the campaign by Patti Solis Doyle, who stepped down as campaign manager on Sunday.

Henry, who managed Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine’s win in 2005, was the author of a memo last year that recommended Clinton skip the kick-off Democratic contest in Iowa. Clinton did not follow his advice and finished third.

In the Republican race, McCain has built a nearly insurmountable lead in delegates to the party’s nominating convention and became the likely nominee last week with the withdrawal of top rival former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

McCain has won 801 of the 1,191 delegates needed for nomination while Huckabee has 240.

But exit polls showed McCain still had difficulty winning over conservatives. Those who described themselves as very conservative accounted for about one-third of Virginia Republican voters, and two-thirds of those went for Huckabee.

Huckabee, a Baptist minister whose rise has been fueled by strong support from religious conservatives, said he would keep pushing in the race.

“We march on,” Huckabee said on Fox News Channel. “We live to fight another day.”

(Additional reporting by Andrew Stern, Caren Bohan; Editing by Bill Trott)

(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters “Tales from the Trail: 2008” online at http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)

10-8

Courtesy David Welna, NPR

February 11, 2008 · Democratic candidates New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama have each won contests in a number of states, but what really matters is how many delegates they accumulate for the Democratic Party’s National Convention in Denver in August.

The magic number of delegates needed to clinch the presidential nomination is 2,025. But neither candidate has gotten anywhere near that number in state voting. If that continues, it could eventually fall to so-called superdelegates to decide the Democratic race.

The 796 superdelegates make up nearly 20 percent of the overall Democratic delegation this year. They are members of Congress, governors, party elders and activists.

Party officials created superdelegates in the early 1980s so situations such as a deadlocked convention could be resolved by party insiders, said nominations expert Henry Brady of the University of California at Berkeley.

“There was a concern that somehow there wasn’t enough adult supervision actually by the rest of the party, and so one way to get more of the party politicos and pros into the process was to create these superdelegates,” Brady said.

More than half of the superdelegates have already endorsed either Clinton or Obama. Because Clinton has snagged more endorsements, she is slightly ahead of Obama in the total delegate tally — even though he actually won more regular, pledged delegates. Both are assiduously courting undecided superdelegates such as Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

“I think the superdelegates will pretty much reflect what the voters have done,” Brown said. “I think by August, one of the candidates will have begun to get momentum and have a substantial lead. I think the superdelegates will, in all likelihood, as we should, reflect that.”

And if that does not happen?

Brown won’t say when he will make an endorsement. But another senator, Florida Democrat Bill Nelson, has already backed Clinton; he wants this race decided before it gets to the convention, although he is not sure that is possible this year.

“I don’t think we want to go back to those wheeling, dealing, smoke-filled back-room days,” Nelson said. “Right now, it looks like that’s the only choice.”

It’s a choice that Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar also thinks should be made before the convention. She has yet to endorse anyone.

“I will not go through the summer — I can tell you that — without endorsing a candidate. I’m not a big believer in smoke-filled rooms,” she said.

Obama told reporters Friday that the superdelegates should be guided by the results of the primaries and caucuses, saying, “My strong belief is that if we end up with the most states and the most pledged delegates from the most voters in the country, that it would be problematic for the political insiders to overturn the judgment of the voters.”

But Obama added that superdelegates should consider who is best able to defeat Republican John McCain in November.

Clinton told reporters Monday that superdelegates should exercise independent judgment: “You can look at this state-by-state and see that there are a lot of people in states that I’ve won who support him, a lot of people in states that he won that support me. That’s what superdelegates are supposed to do.”

If anyone knows the sting of a superdelegate vote, it is former Sen. Gary Hart. Today he is an Obama supporter, but in 1984, when he ran for president, neither he nor Walter Mondale had won a majority of delegates going into the Democratic convention.

“I think virtually every superdelegate voted for Walter Mondale. In the teeth of polls the weekend before the convention, showing that Fritz ran 15 to 17 points behind Reagan and I ran 4 to 5 points behind Reagan, they still voted for Mondale, and Mondale lost very badly,” Hart said.

If superdelegates must break a stalemate this year, it is unclear how bound these supposedly free agents will feel to any promises they have made to either candidate.

Unpledged GOP Delegates:

Republicans do not technically have superdelegates. They do have 463 unpledged delegates that function in a similar way. However, of those, 123 are members of the Republican National Committee. Though they are not bound by the electoral decisions in their state or district, they are likely committed to a particular candidate.

(Note: Former president Bill Clinton, former vice president Al Gore, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and former president Jimmy Carter are all superdelegates).

Quote: Philip Roth, Pulitzer Prize Winner, “Democrats aren’t brutes, which is too bad, because the Republicans are brutes. Brutes win.”

10-8

By Nilofar Suhrawardy, MMNS

NEW DELHI- The Indian government’s decision to continue the ban on Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) for its alleged links with certain Pakistan-based terrorist organizations has evoked a mixed reaction along two lines.

One is whether the organization really deserves being banned and why has the government not used the approach towards other extremist organizations.

During a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security (February 7), chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, it was decided to continue the ban on SIMI, imposed for the first time in September 2001. “The ban, which is in force till today, will be reimposed tomorrow (February 8) for two years,” a home ministry official said.

This decision was taken as the group continued to indulge in unlawful activities, the official said. The ban continues under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.

SIMI is held responsible for continuously carrying out bombing operations in various parts of the nation, including the July 11, 2006 Mumbai train bombings, in which more 200 people were killed and over 700 injured.

SIMI cadres are also charged for having joined Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and providing logistical support in setting up “sleeper cells” here.

Founded in 1977, SIMI was first banned on September 27, 2001 following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York. With its members arrested under Terrorist and Disruptive Prevention Act (TADA), Maharastra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) and the Unlawful Activities Provision Act 1967, SIMI remained banned till September 27, 2003.

The second ban lasted till September 27, 2005 and the notification for the third time was issued on February 8, 2006, which stated that “there is no violent incident involving SIMI since 2004.”

Though SIMI earlier challenged the ban in several courts, the Supreme Court described the group on February 15, 2007 as a secessionist movement.

Till date, none of the SIMI members have been convicted of any terrorism related crime. Not surprisingly, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) has questioned the government’s decision to continue the ban on SIMI.

Expressing that the decision was “unfortunate,” the AIMMM said in a statement (February 8): “This step is particularly regrettable when members or former members of SIMI, including its chief at the time of the first ban, are being acquitted or released on bail across the country due to lack of evidence as, apart from wild allegations and dubious claims of unknown security officers, there is no hard evidence that SIMI was in the past or is at present involved in any specific and verifiable terrorist activity.”

“The propaganda against SIMI continues in Sangh-friendly media on the basis of unverifiable information leaked by unknown ‘security’ sources,” the AIMMM said.

The AIMMM draws attention to “Hindutva outfits despite all their criminal and terrorists” remaining “untouched and free to inflict physical and psychological wounds on this nation,” of which it cites “events in Gujarat, Orissa and now Maharashtra,” as “clear examples of this double-standard approach.” While condemning terrorism, the AIMMM observes that “that under the guise of fighting terrorism, Muslim youth are harassed in many parts of the country.

Reports from various areas suggest that Muslim youths are arbitrarily picked; days and weeks later they are shown to be arrested from somewhere else with arms and bombs while records show that they were arrested from their houses or localities and that FIRs were promptly lodged with the local police and news published in the local media.”

“Unless the government comes up with substantial proof of SIMI’s involvement in terrorism and takes the Muslim community leadership in confidence, we will continue to see the ban as unjust and arbitrary and an extension of the Hindutva policy to marginalize the Muslims of India,” the AIMMM states.

In this context, it may be pointed out that despite the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) having lately indulged in violent activities and communal rhetoric in Maharashtra in the name of their regional concern, till the time of filing this piece, no legal action was taken against them.

Nevertheless, it would be erroneous to assume that the entire country is oblivious to this hard reality. A textbook on Indian Polity, meant for university students in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar (Orissa) states: “Communal outfits such as Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, BJP, RSS, Hurriyat Organization and Lashkar-e-Toiba are creating communal tension in the country,” (page 125).

Members of the saffron brigade took to streets in Orissa, demanding a ban on the book (January 31). Activists of this group also filed FIR in a local police station and burnt copies of the book. They also met the state’s chief minister Naveen Patnaik and higher education minister Samir Dey demanding a ban on the book.

The saffron brigade activists were assured that the matter would be looked and if need be, necessary action would be taken against those at fault.

Besides, in the recent years, India has witnessed an increase in terrorist incidents, for which Hindutva extremist organizations have also been held responsible. One is forced to deliberate on why have these not labeled as terrorists.

It would be pertinent here to refer to what was quoted in the Supreme Court judgment in the Best Bakery Case. “The conspiracy of silence over the phenomenon of what is known in popular parlance as ‘Hindutva terrorism’ needs to be questioned and confronted…

The fanatics who spread violence in the name of religion are worse than terrorist and more dangerous than an alien enemy.”

(10-8)

By Imam Abdullah El-Amin, MMNS

Quite often I hear from young people in our religion who have many questions about the Qur’an, hadiths, and the application of both to our daily lives. Many are questioning presumed misogynist ideas of some Muslim men. Some are questioning whether the rote rituals are necessary, or if they’re even a part of the religion. Some are even questioning whether it is necessary to be a Muslim at all – or any organized religion for that matter. I’ve heard them say “I’m a good person. I don’t smoke, drink, treat people badly or any such things.” They say that they don’t feel it necessary to pray five times a day, or even perform salat in the traditional way of the Muslims.

They do bring up a point, especially when they point to people who pray five or more times a day, attend the masjid every Jumah prayer, and can quote Qur’an scriptures from memory better than some people can read them from the Book; and, at the same time, be some of the worst people around.

But there are things we need to look at before we try to lessen the importance of organized religion – especially the last and universal perfected religion – Al-Islam.

First of all, human beings have too much responsibility to go it alone. We are the Khalifa. We have the responsibility of overseeing the entire world. But the overseer is not the owner. He just carries out the overseer’s directives.

Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone did their own thing according to their own mindset? If everyone drove their cars without regard for traffic lights, it would be virtually impossible to get to your destination without being in numerous accidents.

Religious doctrines and directives do pretty much the same thing; just on a higher level. We humans are so complex and have such amazing abilities that nothing, short of reaching ALLAH, is impossible for us. We can fly higher than the birds. Go to the deepest depths of the oceans – and, overcome whatever is living there. So with each one of us possessing so much power, it is easy for us to start believing we are ‘gods,” and you know that’s a problem for there is only One ALLAH.

We need guidance. The opening chapter of the Qur’an, Al Fatiha, is only recognizing the Omnipotence and Omnipresence of ALLAH and asking Him for guidance. The next chapter starts off telling you it’s Al Qur’an that has the guidance and also tells you those that will receive that guidance. If you lived your life without Divine guidance, you would do things like commit adultery just because you “feel” like it. But we all know it is one of the major sins and causes untold heartache in the individual, the couple, their families, the community, and the entire society. Lower animals can indulge, but they do not have human sensibilities and human consciousness, or human responsibility.

Make no mistake about it; religion is necessary for human beings. The Law, guidance, and Wisdom keeps help keep us on the sensible, straight path. Prophet David (as) says in scripture, “Oh how I love the Law as it keeps me pure and whole.”

The rituals of salat are important for us. Salat 5 times a day gives us discipline which is necessary for an orderly life. To submit yourself to ALLAH when you may not feel like it, lets ALLAH occupy the highest levels of your consciousness.

ALLAH is so merciful that just consciously following His directives gets you 10 times the reward for that good deed. Just refusing to do wrong gets you the benefit of consciously doing one good deed.

The trick in getting the benefits of following this organized religion is to first, believe. Then apply the plain, simple instructions to your life. You cannot fail. ALLAH says so.

With ALLAH’S name, the Merciful Benefactor, Merciful Redeemer

As Salaam alaikum
(Al Hajj) Imam Abdullah Bey El-Amin

10-8

By Bob Wood, MMNS

For months now we’ve been enduring endless speculation about whether the U.S. is in a bull or a bear market for stocks. I think recent developments have put an end to the suspense. The bear is back, and I, for one, am happy about it.

This may sound odd to most readers, though the fact that I have been bearish for many months should come as no surprise. But while most investors think of bear markets as a time to lose money, that shouldn’t be the case at all!

The stock market doesn’t need to go steadily higher for investors to make money. In fact, the worst market environment is a one without a trend, where narrow trading ranges last for weeks or months. As long as the market is moving one way or another, the potential to profit exists.

I actually believe that better opportunities to profit occur during bear markets, since stocks often fall in price faster than they move up. And since fear tends to be a stronger motivator than greed, a bear market cycle creates a large selection to buy at great prices when the last of the ‘’weak hands’’ sells in disgust.

To clarify, note that the Nasdaq Composite average now sits at about 2,300. It peaked at just over 2,800 in late October 2007. Since a drop of 20% signifies bear market territory to many observers, we are at the very edge of entering the bear’s den. The other major averages, the Dow and S&P 500, are nursing losses of about 15% from their recent peaks, thus edging closer to the Nasdaq in bear-market territory.

Of course, the latter averages never actually entered bull market territory. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 are both lower today than they were at peak during the last secular bull market, which ended in early 2000. So our stock market has been in bear territory for nearly eight years!

Please look carefully again at that last paragraph. Add emphasis to the words ‘’our stock market.’’ I do not mean to imply that all markets are also suffering through secular bear markets. Many others, instead, are enjoying new all-time high prices after moving higher since Spring 2003.

This scenario goes to the heart of what I try to convey in this space every week and, alas, what so many investors seem to ignore — at great cost. Opportunity to profit in the markets always exists. But surviving during these long-term bear markets requires a lot of imagination. Successful investors must build and manage their portfolios in ways that are not advised by adherents to the widely used — and highly flawed — investment theories of the day, commonly known as Modern Portfolio Theory, asset allocation and diversification.

To their detriment, too many investors take the easy way out intellectually and allow themselves to enter a sort of torpor; they suffer through the ‘’stocks for the long run’’ nonsense and manage their investments as the academics preach. I ask again: do you know anyone who has steadily made money with stocks using these theories?

Over the past eight years, investors who allocated all of their savings into bond funds have made more money than those who loaded up on ‘’higher yielding’’ stocks. When accounting for inflation, the stock market has been a loser for an entire decade to date! Do you really believethat owning a nicely diversified portfolio featuring large allocations in ‘’core’’ domestic mutual funds has been a worthwhile strategy?

While that deeply flawed theory might work well during bull market cycles, it fails miserably when the bull cycle ends. Then, creativity plus awareness of the broad spectrum of opportunities are required. But how many investors are truly well prepared for those?

I like to use an analogy from the game of chess. Beginners learn to ‘’see the whole board’’ and calculate several ensuing moves. Knowing your options rather than honing in on a narrowly focused strategy is a recipe for losing. So it is with the stock market.

Few differences are apparent between bull and bear markets for those hoping to profit. By the time the current secular bear market ends, which may well be several years into the future, most seasoned investors will have become adept at investing in a bear market. I am guessing that shorting stocks, investing in bear market mutual funds and sitting on large piles of cash will become commonplace.

And when too many investors discover that money can be made on the short side, that winning play will end. Of course, short, counter-trend rallies to the upside will endure, causing pain among those who were doing so well on the short side, and the new bull market will be upon us. Isn’t that how it always ends?

But my point here is that just as much opportunity to profit exists in bear markets. The first and most obvious play is buying whatever tends to do well when stocks fall in price. This is one aspect of Modern Portfolio Theory that does hold some value: the concept of correlation.

When investors sour on domestic stocks, what alternatives do they seek — if past history repeats itself? Sure, bonds are an obvious choice. Precious metals are negatively correlated to stocks as are other commodities. Hasn’t that been the case over the past few years?

Buying shares in bear market mutual funds is a rather new option, developed near the end of the bull market of the late 1990s. While the Nasdaq is flirting with official bear market territory, mutual funds that work inversely to that index go up as much as the Nasdaq comes down. One option I use is the Rydex Inverse OTC Fund, but others are available.

Cash is another obvious choice, though, with the Fed recklessly printing money and now planning to drop it from helicopters in an effort to stimulate spending, this looks like wasting an asset to me. Offsetting your cash holdings with small allocations in inflation hedges like precious metals, energy and other commodities helps to balance the lost purchasing power of your cash hoard.

In my opinion, the best opportunity coming from bear markets in stocks is that, by the end of the secular run, stocks are thrown out rather indiscriminately by the crowd, and bargains abound for those who managed to preserve their capital.

In fact, bear markets can offer far more profit potential than bull markets. Famed investor Warren Buffett is often remembered for having sat patiently on cash during the early 1970s. The bargain holdings he amassed then are largely responsible for the massive wealth he has accumulated. Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., when making a similar strategic move in the late 1920s, was one of the very few who had money available to take full advantage of what the crowd nervously threw out when the economy and the stock market cratered.

The biggest gains will belong to investors who see the situation as it really is, who preserve their capital during the bad times while the crowd chases the dips, and who have the uncommon nerve to jump back in when the crowd, fearing further losses, won’t go near the stock market.

Don’t fear the bear! When he knocks on your door, don’t slam it in his face and hide under a table. Invite him in, show him to the best seat in your house and offer him refreshments. He’s there to help you, not to hurt you. See things his way, and you may make far more money than you did during bull markets!

Have a great week.
Bob

Bob Wood ChFC, CLU Yusuf Kadiwala. Registered Investment Advisors, KMA, Inc., invest@muslimobserver.com.

10-8

Muslim legislator feels religion less a political factor

MONTGOMERY – The only Muslim in the Alabama Legislature said he hopes he is an example of how religion is becoming less a factor as people judge political candidates and that some of the paranoia caused by the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is evaporating, the Clanton Advertiser reported.

State Rep. Yusuf Salaam, D-Selma, said he believes he has helped make the religion of a politician less of an issue, much like Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has removed race as an issue for some voters.

“I hope the average Alabamian can now overlook my religious label and see me as what I am’ a strong patriot and a supporter of the American way of life,” said Salaam.

Salaam said that’s not the way he felt when he came to Montgomery in 2003 as Alabama’s first Muslim legislator and felt like there were 104 sets of eyes watching him in the 105-member House of Representatives.

But he said eventually other House members discovered he was “just another human being.” They also discovered that as a Muslim, he has many of the same conservative views on social issues such as gay marriage and posting the Ten Commandments in schools as his mostly Christian fellow lawmakers.

Salaam is a Selma attorney and former city council president who ran an unsuccessful campaign for mayor in 2004. He is now beginning his sixth regular session in the House and has worked to become known more for his legislation than for his religion. Last week, he was the sponsor of ethics legislation that was the second bill considered in the 2008 session.

He received his A.B. Degree in History from the University of Georgia, Juris Doctor from the University of Miami, and L.L.M. from the University of Wisconsin. Representative Salaam is a member of the Alabama Trial Lawyers, Alabama Bar Association, Alabama Democratic Committee, Dallas County Bar, and Coalition for Good Government.

Abdul Malik Mujahid appointed to DNC

CHICAGO,IL–Prominent Chicago area community leader Dr.Abdul Malik Mujahid has been appointed to the Democratic National Committee. He was named to the credentials committee which coordinates the selection of convention delegates and alternates.

Dr.Mujahid is the founder of Sound Vision Foundation which produces Islamic educational material and is also the producer of daily Radio Islam show. He serves as the Chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago and has served in several community and interfaith organizations. He also serves as a member of the Faith Advisory Council of the Democratic National Committee.

Last year Dr.Mujahid was honored by Mayor Daley in Chicago for his contributions to the city.

Dr.Malik is a graduate of Darul Uloom Shah Waliullah and holds a doctrate in political science from the University of Chicago.

Rochester Muslims help build a home

ROCHESTER, NY–Muslims in Rochester are playing their part in building an equitable society by helping build homes for people of all faiths. They recently helped in building a three-bedroom, two bathroom residence for a needy family under the aegis of the Flower City Habit for Humanity’s Interfaith Partnership.

Helping others who need shelter is a “mission of Muslims in Rochester” and is a tenet of the Quran, said Muhammad Shafiq, imam of the Islamic Center of Rochester and a member of the Interfaith Partnership.

Efforts like these are helping transform neighborhoods. The city is working with Flower City Habitat and the Rochester Housing Authority to rehabilitate the neighborhood by building rental and owner-occupied housing.

As the Habitat volunteers are working in the community, “the (Jay/Orchard) neighbors come over to us and thank us for being there,” said Arthur Woodward of Penfield, CEO of the Flower City Habitat for Humanity.

Eight congregations from the city and suburbs comprise Habitat’s Interfaith Partnership.

The group is charged with providing volunteers and raising the $65,000 necessary to purchase the materials and fund other expenses associated with building the Habitat home.

Muslims in Ohio appeal rejection of mosque

DAYTON,OH–Attorneys for the Islamic Society of Greater Dayton are appealing in court a zoning appeals board decision to disallow the construction of a mosque on South Alpha-Bellbrook Road in Sugarcreek Twp., the Dayton Daily News reported.

The Sugarcreek Twp. Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0 on Jan. 10 to deny a conditional use that would have permitted the building of a mosque for up to 975 people and a family center for an additional 400 on a 15-acre site zoned estate-residential.

The appeal, filed Tuesday in Greene County Common Pleas Court, stated that the Islamic Society is “appealing the factual determinations regarding the sewage and traffic issues and the legal issues” surrounding the township’s zoning ordinances and master plan.

Thomas P. Whelley II, the attorney representing the Islamic Society, said the appeal was filed within the 30-day deadline “to keep that part of the case alive.”

The Islamic Society wants to work with Sugarcreek Twp. officials “to address their concerns about the mosque,” Whelley said. “We’re hoping to be able to build the mosque right there on South Alpha-Bellbrook Road once those concerns have been taken care of.”

However, Sugarcreek Twp. Administrator Barry Tiffany said the court appeal could impede talks between the two parties.

Islamic Center Burned, Defaced in Tennessee

NASHVILLE,TN–The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called on the FBI and Tennessee law enforcement authorities to investigate a fire and hate graffiti at a mosque in that state as a possible bias-motivated crime.

An official of the Islamic Center of Columbia told CAIR that the fire was discovered Saturday morning and “pretty much destroyed” the mosque. Several Nazi swastikas and the phrases “white power” and “we run the world” were sprayed on the outside walls of the mosque. The center had been clearly identified as a mosque. Local, state and federal investigators are at the scene.

The Islamic Center of Columbia is located about 45 minutes south of Nashville, Tenn.

“We urge the FBI to add its resources to those of local and state authorities in this investigation,” CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “Whenever there is hate graffiti of this type, the possibility of a bias motive should be explored.”

Because of similar incidents nationwide, the Washington-based civil rights and advocacy group is urging Muslim individuals and institutions to review security procedures using advice contained in the “CAIR Muslim Community Safety Kit.”

Honesty is the best policy

AUSTIN, TX–Asia and Imran Khan run a dry cleaning business in Austin. Last month they found $900 stuffed inside one of their customer’s suit pants pockets. Instead of pocketing the amount themselves the honest Khans did the right thing by informing the customer.

For the two Pakistani immigrants, keeping the cash was not an option.

The couple could be excused, perhaps, for thinking they might have had some right to keep the money for themselves. Around eight years ago, when they first came to America and were preparing to be married, Asia left her purse, containing $1,000, on a counter in a store while shopping. When she returned a short while later, the owner told her he hadn’t seen the purse.

The grateful customer peeled off several bills and offered it as thanks to the Khans, who declined the reward. “They didn’t want to accept anything,” he said.

Hardman looked down at the Khan’s 8-year-old son, Fayaz, who was playing at a table behind the counter.

“I asked him what he liked to do, and he said he liked to play with clay.” So Hardman offered the boy $50 to buy art supplies for school.

“He froze stiff as a statue and looked at his dad,” recalled Hardman, laughing again.

This time the Khans relented. “I think that’s more than enough for $900,” Asia said.

The Khans said their response required no hard thought. “Honesty is not the kind of thing you adopt. It’s in you; you’re born with it,” she said. “I learned from my mom and my brothers and sister just to be honest.

10-8

By Ilyas Choudry, MMNS

Ghana, 20 January – 10 February: Egypt Coach Hassan Shehata praised his side for successfully defending their Africa Cup of Nations title despite being unfancied to win in west Africa. “Ghana was always going to be difficult with so many strong teams (south of the Sahara), but we did well,” he said.

The Pharaohs’ secured a record-breaking sixth title with a 1-0 win over Cameroon in the Accra final. “We tried to take the game with good football, for Egypt and for the fans, and it proved enough to win,” he added.

Earlier host Ghana beat Ivory Coast 4-2 to get the third position.

The victory of Egypt meant Shehata joins an exclusive club of two coaches who have won back-to-back titles. The defending champions ensured the win when Mohamed Zidan forced an error from Cameroon captain Rigobert Song to play in Mohamed Aboutrika for the only goal of the game.

And Aboutrika said he hoped they could take their dominance into the build up towards the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. “We are delighted to win. It’s a great achievement,” said the Al Ahly star.

“It is a great feeling to score for the country, but it’s not about me scoring goals but it’s about all the players and the 80 million people supporting us back home.

“It’s an amazing feeling to win the tournament away from home,” said Aboutrika.

“It’s even better to win it two times in a row.”

After beating Cameroon in their opening group game, Shehata’s men recorded victories over Sudan, Angola and then Ivory Coast in the semi-finals.

The only minor blemish on an otherwise perfect passage to the continental trophy was the 1-1 draw with Zambia. Egypt has added this 2008 trophy to their wins in 1957, 1959, 1986 (on penalties against Cameroon), 1998 and 2006.

Ahmed Hassan was the engine of the Egyptian midfield and key in setting the pace of the Pharaohs’ game. Cameroon defender Bill Tchato was full of praise for Egypt. “We showed a lot of heart but congratulations to Egypt. We came up against a team that deserved to win,” he said.

“It is no surprise that they were champions of Africa two years ago.”

Patrick Mboma, Cameroon’s all-time top goalscorer who led the team to Nations Cup victories in 2000 and 2002, said Egypt’s team spirit shone through. “It’s tremendous that we reached the final with small preparations and the late appointment of a coach, but Egypt is the best football team in Africa today,” said Mboma.

“They have a team based on local players, so they know each other very well.”

Aboutrika’s goal in the final was the 99th of the tournament, which produced more goals than any other Nations Cup.

Cameroon: Kameni, Tchato, Song, Atouba, Emana (Idrissou 56), Song Billong (Binya 16), Mbia, Epalle (M’Bami 65), Geremi, Nkong, Eto’o.

Subs Not Used: Hamidou, Mbarga, Angbwa, Essola, Makoun, N’Guemo, Tomou, Job.

Booked: Atouba, Idrissou.

Egypt: El Hadari, Mohamed, Hany Said, Gomaa, Moawad, Fathi, Hassan, Abd Rabou, Aboutriaka (Ibrahim Said 89), Moteab (Zidan 60), Zaki (Shawky 84).

Subs Not Used: Abdel Monssef, Sobhy, El Saeed, Fathallah, Gamal, Mostafa, Shaaban, El Mohamady, Fadl.

Booked: Hassan.

Goals: Aboutriaka 77.

Ref: Coffi Codja (Benin)

Attendance: 35,500

10-8

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Traders wagering on the outcome of the U.S. presidential vote were overwhelmingly betting on Monday that Illinois Sen. Barack Obama will defeat former first lady Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination and ultimately win the presidency.

Obama, whose campaign swept four state Democratic presidential contests against Clinton over the weekend, was trading at about 70 on Monday on the Dublin, Ireland-based Intrade predictions market, meaning traders gave him a 70 percent chance of being the Democrats’ presidential candidate in the November election.

Clinton, who replaced her campaign manager in a staff shake-up, was selling at about 30, meaning traders gave her a 30 percent chance of winning the Democratic nomination, data on the Intrade web site showed.

Traders on the Iowa Electronic Markets, a nonprofit exchange run by researchers at the University of Iowa, had similar expectations, giving Obama a 70 percent chance of winning the nomination and Clinton about a 27 percent chance.

Researchers who study political forecasting markets say their predictive power is comparable to opinion polls. Contracts are generally structured so prices can be read as the percentage likelihood of a candidate winning the race.

Arizona Sen. John McCain was the overwhelming favorite to win the Republican presidential nomination, with Intrade traders giving him nearly a 95 percent chance of winning.

His rival Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, was given only about a 2.5 percent chance of winning, despite winning two of three state contests over the weekend. The two Republican candidates were given similar chances by traders on the Iowa exchange.

Intrade traders gave Obama a 46 percent chance of winning the presidency, versus 33 percent for McCain and 20 percent for Clinton.

As recently as January 1 traders were giving Clinton about a 70 percent chance of winning the Democratic nomination. But expectations about Clinton’s candidacy tumbled after the first of the year, dropping below 30 percent after she lost the Iowa presidential contest to Obama.

Her New Hampshire victory surprised the forecasting markets and she recovered to trade between 55 and 70 until the days after February 5, when nearly half the U.S. states chose presidential candidates. Since then expectations have been falling and Clinton has lost several state contests to Obama.

(Editing by David Wiessler)

10-8

By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor

PARIS (Reuters) – Sharia law is understood and applied in such varied ways across the Muslim world that it is difficult to say exactly what it is and how it could fit into a western legal context, according to experts on Islam.

Full Islamic criminal law, the harsh code most non-Muslims think of when they hear the word sharia, is applied in very few countries, such as Saudi Arabia. Islamic “personal law” for issues like marriage and inheritance is much more common.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams sparked off a storm last week by suggesting Britain adopt some sharia law. British Muslims defending him stressed most of the Islamic world also rejected the ultra-orthodox model that he clearly ruled out.

“There are 57 Muslim countries in the world and only two or three of them impose full sharia criminal law. Why on earth would we want to have that here?” asked Sheikh Suhaib Hasan, secretary of the Islamic Sharia Council in Britain.

There are also widely differing interpretations of sharia, both within the four classical Sunni and one Shi’ite schools of jurisprudence and between traditional and modern thinkers.

“In the Muslim world these days, ‘sharia’ means a whole variety of different things,” said John Voll, professor of Islamic history at Georgetown University in Washington.

Williams apparently had in mind a modern school of Muslim thinking that sees sharia as a system of essential Islamic values rather than a fixed code of harsh punishments, he said.

Limited Use

Most Muslim states limit the use of sharia to “personal law” on issues such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and child custody. Western critics say most Muslim personal law limits women’s rights and introduces inequality before the law.

Egypt says sharia is the main source of its legislation but has penal and civil codes based mostly on 19th century French law. Hudoud, the corporal and capital punishment outlined in the Koran, has not been applied there in modern times.

Muslims cannot convert to other faiths and non-Muslims who convert to Islam are not supposed to leave it, but a court allowed this for 12 people in a landmark case last week.

Pakistan has a similar split between civil and penal codes carried over from the British colonial period and Muslim personal law. It also has a Federal Sharia Court to decide if laws passed by parliament conform to Islam.

Apart from a few public lashings since Islamisation started in the 1980s, harsh physical punishments have not been imposed. Nobody has been executed under a law banning blasphemy against Islam, but some accused blasphemers have been killed by mobs.

Lebanon has 18 recognized religious denominations among its Muslims, Christians and Druze and all have religious courts for personal law and civil courts for everything else.

In India, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains and followers of other faiths can decide whether they want to be bound by secular personal law or their own religious code.

Sharia-Compliant

Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim nation and quite moderate in Islamic terms. Its western province of Aceh uses sharia law as part of a local autonomy deal granted by Jakarta and people have been caned for adultery, gambling and stealing.

Nigeria’s northern states adopted a harsh sharia code in 2000, but punishments have been rare. A woman convicted of adultery, Amina Laval, was freed on appeal after her sentence of stoning to death caused an international uproar.

About a dozen other women convicted of adultery have also been freed on appeal.

In contrast to this traditional jurisdiction, modern Muslim scholars such as Swiss-born Tariq Ramadan interpret sharia more broadly as “the expression of the universal principles of Islam” and a way of thinking that helps express them in daily life.

This approach can accept secular laws as “sharia-compliant” if they reflect Islamic values. “Even simply by trying to respect Muslim ethics, one is already in the process of applying the sharia,” Ramadan has written.

Thus Williams, who cited Ramadan in his speech, said Britain already had sharia in its legal system through laws that allowed Islamic no-interest mortgages and contracts.

Another leading thinker, French imam Tareq Oubrou, advocates a “sharia for minorities” respecting Islamic values as ethical guidelines for Muslims and civil jurisprudence as the law for all citizens in a country.

(For more on religion, see the religion blog FaithWorld http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld)

(additional reporting by Reuters bureaus)

10-8

Prices for black market roses are reported to be rising

Religious police in Saudi Arabia are banning the sale of Valentine’s Day gifts including red roses, a local newspaper has reported.

The Saudi Gazette quoted shop workers as saying that officials had warned them to remove all red items including flowers and wrapping paper.

Black market prices for roses were already rising, the paper said.

Saudi authorities consider Valentine’s Day, along with a host of other annual celebrations, as un-Islamic.

In addition to the prohibition on celebrating non-Islamic festivals, the authorities consider Valentine’s Day as encouraging relations between men and women outside wedlock – punishable by law in the conservative kingdom.

The Saudi Gazette reported that some people placed orders with florists days or weeks before Valentine’s Day in anticipation of the ban, which is a regular occurrence.

“Sometimes we deliver the bouquets in the middle of the night or early morning, to avoid suspicion,” one florist said.

Others were planning to travel to the more religiously liberal neighbouring countries, Bahrain or the United Arab Emirates, to celebrate.

Saudi Arabian authorities impose a strict Islamic code that prevents men and women from mixing.

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