NASIMCO Post
A Fortnightly Newsletter March 15th, 2010
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In This Issue
*Youth Leadership Retreat 2010
*Qum Summer Camp 2010
*Computers for Students
*Haiti Relief Update
*Community Event - Allentown
*Community Event - Orlando
*Inter-Faith Event - Minnesota
 
FEATURED CHARITIES
 
Donate towards the Haiti Relief Fund 
 
Donate towards the Computers for Students Initiative
 
 
  Make a Donation 
 
DISCOVERING ISLAM
 
A Charter for Muslim Unity
 
"Charter 3:103 is a movement built around the Quranic ayat: 'And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favour of Allah on you when you were enemies, and then He united your hearts so by His favour you became brothers; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it; thus does Allah make clear to you His signs that you may follow the right way.' (Al-Quran 3:103).
 
The Charter 3:103 movement is convened by senior Muslim community figures in London and the US.
 
  ...'Muslims must learn that there is no one way to be Muslim...Part of the strength of Islam has always been that it accommodates a wide range of cultures and styles of behaviour provided they are not inconsistent with the broad principles of Islam. But this sort of unity comes from the heart, not from ideology. We must change the way we feel and act, not just what we say.'"
 
 To read more, click here.
 
ISLAM IN THE NEWS 
 
UN Rapporteur Takes Action Over Israeli Encroachments of Holy Places 
 
"The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, has said...that she has sent letters to the government of Israel, through its mission in Geneva, tackling her worries about Israel's encroachment of holy places in Jerusalem.
 
...On a question on the banning of minarets in Switzerland, Jahangir said that as a religious symbol, this shows a level of intolerance and ignorance of what is freedom of religion...this brings the fact that education is important in raising levels of tolerance.
 
She added that what is also of concern to her, is that when there is a popular voice which denounces in a way religious symbols of a minority, it sends a very depressive signal to that religious minority, and then consequently it can turn into discrimination as well."
 
To read more, click here.
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Salaam Alaykum!

As part of its vision and mission, the NASIMCO Post serves as a tool by which to bind our community together and promote a united and caring environment for all. If you have anything you would like to include in this newsletter, contact us at [email protected].
 
 
 
Youth Leadership Retreat 2010
NASIMCO is proud to announce its first annual Youth Leadership Retreat for boys and girls ages 18 to 25, titled "Leadership: Understanding and Walking the Path to a Better Future". The retreat will take place from April 30th to May 3rd at Camp Cedar Ridge, an outdoor facility about 150 miles east of Toronto. The skills developed during the retreat will help participants achieve their personal goals and overcome many of the obstacles they face in their communities, careers and personal lives.
 
Leadership
 
Sheikh Abbas Ismail of London, England and Mashal Kara of Toronto, Canada will be facilitating a variety of workshops on leadership, including vision, personality, teamwork, networking, and conflict resolution. Madji Ndiaye of California, USA will be the keynote speaker for the weekend and will discuss topics related to the challenges Muslim youth face in developing their own new identity as Muslims in the West.
 
The subsidized cost of the retreat is $100 per person (total cost is $400). Registration applications should be sent to the NASIMCO office by April 15th. Space is limited to 25 participants.
 
apply here
 
Qum Summer Camp 2010
Registration is open for the Bab-al-Ilm (ages 14 to 16) and Madinah-al-Ilm (ages 17 to 24) Camps that will take place in Qum from July 18th to August 8th. There will be seperate camps for boys and girls. The cost per person is $2,900 (full) or $2,300 (subsidized). Applicants who are able to pay the full cost should do so. The prices include round-trip airfare from Toronto to Tehran, accommodation, courses and excursions while in Iran and the costs of a visa. Please note that the price does not include additional travel from your city of residence to Toronto. Space is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, contact [email protected].
 
apply here
 
Computers for Students Initiative
NASIMCO in partnership with The World Federation, is launching a drive to raise $100,000 (USD) to purchase new and refurbished laptop and desktop computers for more than 100 hawza and 300 community students in developing countries.
 
For many of these students, a computer will provide a window to the world outside their hometowns, access to information that is otherwise out of their reach, a way to communicate with relatives and friends, and a medium to create opportunities for their future.
 
computers for students
 
Additionally, NASIMCO and The World Federation are inviting community businesses worldwide to help in supplying computers for this drive. We are looking for laptops (used, refurbished and/or new), desktop computers (used, refurbished and/or new), Microsoft Office licenses for each computer provided and shipping of computers to various destinations. If you are able to assist us, please email [email protected] by April 1st. 
Haiti Relief Fund Update
After the massive earthquake that hit Haiti in January, NASIMCO, in partnership with The World Federation, reacted quickly by contacting the Shia community in Haiti and initiating fundraising efforts. Since then, plans have been laid out to channel the funds collected towards rebuilding the Al-Mahdi Islamic Center, a Shia mosque and orphanage that was destroyed in the earthquake. The total funds collected directly by NASIMCO so far are $13,958.71.    
 
In addition, the following collections have been made by member Jamaats:
      - Husseini Islamic Center, Orlando: $943.06
      - Anjuman-e-Asghari, Minnesota: $1,866.86
      - Shia Ithnasher Jamaat of Pennsylvania: $100.00
      - Az Zahra Islamic Center, Vancouver: $7,948.25
      - Jaffari Union of North East Ohio: $1,000.00 
      - As-Sadiq Islamic School, Toronto: $1190.14
 
To learn more about the Haiti Relief Fund, click here.
Community Event - Allentown
The Al-Ahad Madressa in Allentown, Pennsylvania embarked on an initiative to raise money for the Iraq Thirty Program. The initial goal was to sponsor three children, and implement the teachings of Karbala by being considerate to these orphans. There were classroom discussions on how Islam encourages us to care for one another. Graphs were posted outside each classroom to track the amount of donations collected in the fundraising efforts of the Madressa children.

With the generosity of the Madressa students and community members, the initial goal was exceeded and a total of $10,030.00, enough to sponsor 28 children for one year. To view a short video created by the youths of Al-Ahad Madressa, click here.
Community Event - Orlando
The youths of the Husseini Islamic Center in Orlando, Florida collected linens, toiletries, canned foods, blankets and money over the course of the 10 days of Chehlum for the people of Haiti. The Director of Operations, Shabir Pirbhai and one of the HIC Youth, Saamiya Pirbhai, took the initiative to transport the collected items from the Husseini Islamic Center to Harvest Time, an organization that is collecting and delivering items to the devastated people in Haiti.
 
Later, Saamiya reflected on the event: "My favorite part of the whole experience was that we all worked together as a community to help a neighboring nation, Haiti...the amount of support and contribution from family, friends and the community was the highlight of it all. Keeping in mind that all of our actions were going for a good cause, I can truly say- We were all in this together!"
Inter-Faith Event - Minnesota
On Sunday, March 7th, members of the Ja'afari Islamic Center of Minnesota joined hands with other Minnesotans to pack food for the victims in Haiti. The effort was part of a campaign by Kids Against Hunger with a goal to send 1,000,000 meals to the survivors of the earthquake that devastated the island. By joining with citizens of all faiths, the Minnesota Jamaat showed that Islam is a religion of peace and humanity. A local news channel was also present at the event and interviewed a member of the Ja'afari Islamic Center. To read more, or to watch the video, click here.