Someone just passed on this sad news, Lackawanna High student is killed in attack on U.S. Embassy in Yemen

A Lackawanna High School student who traveled to Yemen to be married last month was one of the victims of a terrorist bombing Wednesday at the U. S. Embassy in Yemen, the woman’s school principal said.

Attackers armed with automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades and at least one suicide car bomb assaulted the compound in the Yemeni capital of Sana.

Officials listed the 16 people killed as six assailants, six guards and four civilians.

Susan Elbaneh, 18, was killed, along with her Yemeni husband, as they stood outside the embassy, family members said Wednesday. They were apparently there to do paperwork for the husband’s move to the U. S. when the attackers struck, said Elbaneh’s brother, Ahmed.

I am still in shock about this. I know I may be preaching to the choir here, but terrorists pose the biggest threat to Muslims trying to live decent lives. What did this young woman ever do to anybody? I’ve had to go to US embassies or meet someone near a Western embassy while in the Middle East. I’ve passed through heightened security, metal detectors, police dog searchers in egypt hoping to protect innocent shoppers or restaurant goers from a terrorist attack. This stuff is real folks. You could be living your life, and somebody with a political point by exploding shards of shrapnel, bolts, and screws to destroy himself and the bodies of those around him. My heart goes out to this young woman, who like so many, was murdered in such a senseless manner. The constant fear that shadows the lives of people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Yemen, Algeria, and Palestine, is the worst kind of oppression. I don’t think I’m stretching too far to say that she died a martyr, a witness to how terrible terrorism is.

The article goes on to point out the ironies of our linkages and connections with those who would support terrorism.

School officials said Elbaneh was the daughter of Ali T. Elbaneh and the niece of Mohamed T. Albanna, two Yemeni-American community leaders who took plea deals in a case involving an unlicensed money-transmitting company that illegally sent at least $5.5 million to Yemen. Authorities never have alleged that the money was used for terrorist purposes.

In November 2006, U. S. District Judge William M. Skretny sentenced Ali T. Elbaneh to six months of home confinement for playing what federal prosecutors called a very minor role in the illegal business. Albanna received a five-year prison term.

Authorities said the dead woman also was related to Jaber Elbaneh, Mohamed Albanna’s nephew, a fugitive accused of traveling to a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan with the “Lackawanna Six.”

The United States was angered when Jaber Elbaneh, 42, convicted in Yemen for planning attacks on oil installations, was allowed to go free while appealing his 10-year prison sentence.

He has since been taken back in custody, Yemeni officials say, but Yemen has refused U. S. requests that he be handed over for trial on charges of providing material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization. He is listed by the FBI as one of the world’s most wanted terrorists.

Would Jabar Elbanah witnessed against those who murdered his relative? Would he have saved her and her husband’s lives. Or would that no snitch rule prevailed and maybe he would have seen that loss as collateral damage. My question for any of us is: what would we do if we knew someone would commit these actions? What we we do if she was our daughter, sister, cousin, or wife?

My thoughts and prayers are going out for her family and loved ones. Please pray for the Elbanah family and all countless unnamed victims of terrorism, whether it is state sanctioned or committed by organizations who justify the murder and maiming of civilians to achieve their purposes.

I just received an email from Stanford’s OASIS list. UCSF Medical school and the Alalusi Foundation are hosting a Medical supplies packing event. For those who are in the Bay Area, I hope you consider lending a hand that can go a long way in relieving the suffering of so many sick and wounded Iraqis. They need volunteers to help reorganize pallets to distribute to hospitals and clinics in Iraq. With 25 volunteers this can be done in a day. Here’s the info:

Dear Colleagues:

This is a reminder email to ask that you consider joining us on Saturday, September 27th from 9AM-5PM at the Alalusi Foundation in Hayward, CA for a huge “Medical Supplies to Iraq” packing event. We need to reorganize 40 pallets of medical supplies so that they can be shipped to different medical facilities in Iraq. We estimate that it will require at least 25 people to complete this in a day, so please see if you can find the time to contribute to something that will be of very real, tangible and direct benefit to the citizens of Iraq.

The Iraq Action Group will cover gas and tolls, and the Alalusi Foundation will provide lunch and snacks. Directions to the facility are provided below.

Please RSVP to me at so that we know who is coming and can help arrange carpools.

Best wishes,
Dan

For Directions:

Directions:

The location is at the Pressure Grout Company, 1975 National Ave., Hayward, CA 94545

The Alalusi Foundation offices are in the same building, and the materials are stored in the adjacent warehouse.

The closest freeway exit from I-880 is Winton Avenue. Take Winton Ave. West to Clawiter Road, Left on Clawiter, go to the first light, then Right on National Avenue, and about 1 block down on the Right side. There is a parking lot on the East side of the Pressure Grout building; just go in the door at 1975.

This is from a good friend who has continued her late mother’s efforts of helping needy children during Eid by collecting money for gifts. This year they are focusing on assisting Dar al-Salaam, a school in Mauritania. They are working with the Alalusi Foundation, an organization that has helped establish important institutions and many local Muslims through charitable donations. Please consider donating to this worthy project:

Asalam Alaykum 
Ramadan Mubarak
Hope this letter finds you and your loved ones in good eman and health. Many of you have been so helpful in aiding us to provide eid gifts, clothing, and supplies for needy children at Granada and other orphans. You can not be thanked enough Alhamidullah. Right now, we are focusing our efforts to the needy in Mauritania.This is a tax deductible donation.

 

We are collecting donations to provide eid gifts of clothing to the children. There are about 60 under the age of 8. This project is very dear – Dar Al Salam. It is a school in Mauritania. This school is central for the children and region. There is need in getting gifts for the underprivileged children/students, updating the school facilities, student dormitories, paying the educators, or building water wells. Ma sha’ Allah your help really makes a difference.

Ramadan is moving fast and I’m sure we all hope for forgiveness and mercy. It’s always a good time to give saddaqa especially now in Ramadan. Please send your contributions, sadaka jariyah, or zakat.  That way we can have an estimate. You can designate where you would like your donation to go in your memo.

children’s clothing

You can also give to: 
student support
teacher salaries

water wells
zakat

sadaqa or other

 

You may pass the donation to us at

29869 Bello View Place in Hayward Ca 94544.

pleas make check payable to:

Alalusi Foundation

 

Checks made payable to Alalusi Foundation. Be sure to fill in the memo section. Contributions are tax deductible.

 

Finances are tight for most people now. May our eman and bank accounts all be expanded for the better by helping others who are in need. Honestly, even $5 can help. Every bit counts.

 

Barak Allah feekom. May Allah be pleased with your efforts and multiply your rewards.  Please distribute to your friends and family.

…the day that my father died, September 11, 2002. I have to admit that I barely knew him, but have had to piece together his life from my brief memories and stories that his friends, family, and loved ones shared. I was a daddy’s girl, up until age 5. According to all accounts, he spoiled me rotten. After my parent’s divorce, we moved to California and 18 years passed before I saw him at the age of 23. I came to Florida out of my own accord in 1999, seeking reconciliation, seeking to find a part of myself. My mother was never one to bash my father, although she was often disappointed that his contact was sporadic. He made no effort to send for me and I spent years trying to placate that void. I understood his pain and forgave him for failing me.

During the first year anniversary of 9-11 I remember listening to radio broadcasts commemorating the dead. Loved ones shared their stories of their last words or things they would have shared had they known that they’d never see their fathers/mothers/brothers/sisters/husbands/wives/daughters/sons/friends ever again. A deep urgency and anxiety filled me to reconnect with my father and family in Florida in light of the loss so many had experienced that day. I anticipated that the search wouldn’t be easy, but vowed to get started once I returned home from work. But the moment I stepped in the door and turned on the answering machine and heard, “Margari, this is you cousin Nancy…” I knew he was gone. I called her and she confirmed my greatest fear, I no longer had a father.

My father was a flawed man, but he had many good sides. He was a sensitive soul, haunted by his memories of the Vietnam War and wounded by his own failures and by those around him. At his memorial services I talked to his friend. She told me how he used to speak of me, how sad he was that I wasn’t in his life, but that he felt too ashamed to contact me. I learned that he took care of family members on the sick beds as they went through the long drawn out deaths. His family members spoke of his generosity and the ways he stood by people to take care of them. My cousins on both my mother and father’s side often tell me he was one of the coolest cats you knew. I experienced him, I got to know him, I got to see his protective side, his jealous fathering side, his gentleness, and his story telling. Sometimes I envy those who knew my father more than me, but try to let those feelings rest and be grateful that someone can tell me bits about him.

I just want to commemorate my father and provide a reminder for each of us. I pray that each one of us who has lost contact with someone we love to try to reconnect. Don’t let the time slip past. Don’t worry about being ashamed for failing them. But just try…

Tariq Nelson brings the sad news of W.D. Muhammad’s passing. He was one of American Islam’s most influential leaders and responsible for the largest mass conversion to Sunni Islam. He has left an incredible legacy that has touched the lives of all Muslims in America (whether they want to admit to or not). Please make du’a for his family and loved ones. Like Tariq Nelson said, he will be missed.

For those in the Bay Area, there will be services held at Masjid Waritheen in Oakland. I received this announcement from Kameelah.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
With Allah’s Name, The Merciful Benefactor, The Merciful Redeemer

As-Salaam Alaikum wa Ramadan Mubarak

Imam Warith Deen Mohammed
has passed from this life early on Tuesday morning (9/9/08)*.
Innalil lahi wa inna ilahi rajiun, to Allah we belong and to Him is our return.

We invite our community (family) to gather at Masjidul Waritheen at Mahgrib this evening at this time of great loss simply for the purpose of being together. People can bring food as they would bring something for iftar and Sheikh Abdul Ra-oof Nasir will facilitate the gathering.

I had the pleasure to be interviewed by the Pakistani Spectator. They regularly conduct interviews with people from all over the world. They have a number of insightful and funny interviews with a number of other bloggers. Mine may be a bit dry, but you can check it out here at, Interview with Blogger Margari Hill.

And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and they pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and His messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise.
Quran (Pickthal Translation)9:71

In his beautifully written post titled, “What is Friendship?” Tariq Nelson shares the pain and disappointment he experienced when his friends weren’t there for him. Tariq shows us a lesson about the process of forgiveness. He then asks us to be real with ourselves so that we can begin to develop and establish authentic relationships.
Tariq wrote:

As I reflect on the past 14 years of my life, authenticity is the exact opposite of what I have found in many of these relationships. Rather than environment of honesty and humility there is pretentiousness and shallow conversation. A real friendship should be about giving and receiving, sharing responsibilities, and helping each other. Engaging in a friendship requires courage because it means facing our fear of rejection and being hurt again.

A number of people, including myself, have related to and have been moved by his post. I am really grateful that he shared so openly and honestly. It was a conversation that we needed to have. Inspired, I decided to write something on friendship myself. I doubt that I’ll be able to do the topic justice. But since this is a timely topic, that has frequently come up time and time again in conversations, I thought I’d engage with the idea of friendship. For over a year I have wanted to write about friendship, exploring the real meaning of the word and how should we as Muslims really develop authentic relationships. In order to begin to explore what it means, I’ve decided to first focus on the meaning of friendship. Then I will begin to point to new possible ways we can develop better relationships with others, and as a result become more human.

As I have stated before, I am a stickler for definitions. So I went to Marriam Webster online to find a working definition of friendship.

Main Entry: 1friend
Pronunciation: \ˈfrend\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English frend, from Old English frēond; akin to Old High German friunt friend, Old English frēon to love, frēo free
Date: before 12th century
1 a: one attached to another by affection or esteem b: acquaintance2 a: one that is not hostile b: one that is of the same nation, party, or group3: one that favors or promotes something (as a charity)4: a favored companion 5capitalized : a member of a Christian sect that stresses Inner Light, rejects sacraments and an ordained ministry, and opposes war —called also Quaker

I then went to the primary source for Muslims, the Qur’an. I was interested in what the Qur’an said about the purpose of friends, and as the above verse mentioned, “protecting friends” is what believers are supposed to be for one another. I also looked at the Qur’an database search today to see how many times friend was mentioned in the Qur’an. The answer is kind of tricky, since the database was in English (call me lazy, but my time commitments didn’t allow me to peruse an Arabic/English definition. Just to be clear, I do not think that the English word for friend encompasses the true meaning of the spirit of friendship and companionship in Islam. In the Qur’an and Islamic texts such as the Hadith (Prophetic traditions), Seerah (biography), and exigis ,here are several Arab words that correspond to the English word “friend.” These include (الوالي)wali, (الصديق)sadeeq, (الصاحب) sahib. I used the Hans Wehr dictionary to outline the basic meaning of these terms as they relate to true authentic friendship.
wali (الوالي): helper; supporter; benefactor; sponsor; friend; close associate; relative; patron; protector; legal guardian
sadeeq (الصديق): friend; friendly; connected by bonds of friendship (the word also derives from truthful)
sahib (الصاحب): associate; companion; comrade; friend; adherent; follower

All three of these definitions encompass what we really need out of at least one other human being to feel connected: someone who will join us, someone who is kind to us, and someone who will help us look after our affairs. We need a someone we can trust, who has our best interest at heart. Someone we can be honest with, someone we don’t have to put on a mask to be around. We need someone who will listen to us, protect our secrets. We need someone who will share what they have when they can. We need someone who will stand by us when the world seems against us. We need someone who will lift us up as the world is crashing down on us, someone who will hold our hand to help steady uneven steps. We even need someone to believe in us when we don’t believe in ourselves. We need someone to be there for us, as Damian Marley sings, “even when I’m not there for myself.” We have to learn how to be that for someone else. We cannot demands the three aspects of true and deep friendship without being willing to give up a bit of ourselves and our whims. The reality is that we have a really deep model of friendship from our Prophetic tradition: Muhammad’s (s.a.w.)relationship with his companions. Now this is the model of true and authentic relationships that we should strive for.

I believe it is essential that we began to reassess the importance of connecting with other human beings and learning how to develop authentic and intimate relationships based on honest exchange and mutual understanding. Through this, we transcend our narrowness. We have to get beyond the slogans like, “I love you brother/sister, for the sake of Allah.” We have to really interrogate what loving someone for the sake of Allah means. As a Muslim, you’re not going to love every Muslim, but if you are disconnected and unable to love anyone, what does that say about your mental, emotional, and spiritual state? I am now reflecting on my own friendships, how I have failed as a friend, how I have been failed as a friend. I am trying to take the lessons from my 33 years and trying to become a better friend, companion, and helper. I am working on letting go of the pain, of forgiving, of reconnecting with old friends and forming new friends. But like Tariq said, first I must do some self reflection and refining of my own thoughts and inclinations. I have to be there for myself, in order to be there for you.

Just to leave you with some uplift, let’s turn to my boy Damian Marley:

“There For You”

[Indiscernable voice message]

Tra la la…Tra la la…
La la la…la la

[Verse 1]
Hey!
Vexation of spirit is a waste of time
Negative thinking, don’t you waste your thoughts
Verbal conflict is a waste of word
Physical conflict is a waste of flesh
People will always be who they want
And that’s what really makes the world go round
Unconditional love is scarce
(“Till shiloh I shall not forsake thee”)
Now and forever more
Forever more, forever more…
YEAH!

[Chorus]
You see, you gave precious life to me
So I live my life for you…You…
You see, you’ve always been there for me
And so i’ll be there for you…You…
(“Till shiloh I shall not forsake thee”)

[Verse 2]
Bless your eyes and may your days be long
May you rise on the morning when His kingdom come
Good deeds aren’t remembered in the hearts of men
(…..Oooooooh)
Bless your eyes and may your dreams come true
May you rise on the morning when Jah kingdom come
Good deeds aren’t remembered in the hearts of men
(“Till shiloh I shall not forsake thee”)
Now and forever more
Forever more…

[Chorus]
You see, you’ve always had faith in me
And so i’ll have faith in you…You…
You’ve always been there for me
And so i’ll be there for you…You…

Hey!
You’ve always been good to me
Even when i’m not good to myself
You’ve always been fair to me
Even when i’m not fair to myself
You’ve always done right by me
So I will do right by you…You…
(“Till shiloh I shall not forsake thee”)
You’ve always been there for me, mama
So i’ll be there for you, papa
You’ve always been fair to me, brother
And so i’ll be fair to you, sister
You’ve always had faith in me
And so i’ll have faith in you…You..

You’ve always been good to me
You’ve always been to kind to me
You’ve always stood up for me
You’ve always been there for me
You’ve always been…oooooh
You’ve always been…oooooh
You always did care for me…yeh
You always did share with me…yeh
You always been true to me
And so i’ll be true to you…

I’m pretty late in posting this. Samah2007 has some pretty insightful and thought provoking articles over at Jamerican Muslimah. She’s one of my favorite writers because she’s honest, funny, and smart. Not long ago, she posted an article that got me thinking about what I’m going to have to deal with when I come back to the states.

Yesterday I was struck by a profound thought. I realized that I have taken classes related to race, ethnicity, White privilege and institutional racism but haven’t given much thought as to how strongly White privilege features in office culture. In the ten plus years that I’ve worked in office environments I’ve certainly seen my share of overt and subtle racism; it’s been reflected in pay grades, promotions, firings, in a supervisor’s decision as to whether a person is a “good fit” for the organization etc. I asked myself, what about the day-to-day interaction in the office? How does White privilege operate and in what ways? As a person of color, how am I am at a disadvantage? What survival techniques must I employ/adopt in order to stay afloat in today’s office environment?

Not that I’ve escaped the world of White privilege in academia, instead it plays out in different ways. But at least there are some presumptions of merit in academia and a few departments about their positions of power and responsibility to the intellectual and broader community. As a Black woman, I have spent most of my life in multi-cultural and majority white environments, so I know how to deal with a diverse set of people. You become a chameleon of sorts, trying to find a common ground to relate to people with widely divergent backgrounds, beliefs, and preferences.

Eventually my demeanor and to some degree- persona- is transformed once I step into the office. I tone down my Jamerican culture (as much as I can any way) and become someone else for 8 hours or more. You may say, all of us transform when we’re at work. All of us “play the game to some degree.” While that is certainly true, people of color who have not fully adopted mainstream White culture must go the extra mile. We must work hard to ensure that we are not perceived (by White co-workers or managers) as threatening, angry, loud, uncooperative, and (God forbid) uneducated or unqualified in any way. In a nutshell, we must work our asses off and at the same time make the White people around us feel comfortable.

Samah then goes on to explore the ways these accommodations can cause fractures in a Black American’s identity. Some individuals have striven so hard to be accepted and to succeed in majority white environments may find themselves transformed with little vestiges of their original self. Others, I know, feel disingenuous as they wear different masks for different people. It is interesting how this plays out in many different environments. Even in the Muslim community, whether on college campuses or in my local area, I find myself shape shifting make people comfortable with me as a Black woman. It is something I do almost instinctually, because this is how I’ve been able to survive in the broader society, in both the corporate world and academia. When I do fall into my normal speech patterns or topics of conversation, I am either very aware or made aware that what I say and how I say things has made my others uncomfortable. This reminds me of the backlash against PC (often by privileged white males). They are often resistant to making accommodations to make others comfortable or even relate to different groups by changing their speech, patterns of behavior etc. Very few white Americans, outside of those who have assimilated into either Black urban or rural culture, will have to make many accommodations to other people’s culture. They can be successful without having close relationships with Blacks, Asians, Hispanics/Latinos/Chicanos, or Native Americans. Nor is their material success in this society predicated on their ability to move comfortably in majority non-white environments. Just something to think about…
More thoughts on this to come…