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Salaam Alaykum,
September 2010/
Shawwal 1431

Alhamdulillah, we've had a fulfilling past month here at UMF!  Our volunteers have been busy working throughout Ramadhan to provide for those in need through the Pakistan Relief Drive.  This initiative was set up to collect clothes and other supplies from members of the local community in order to donate them to the over 13 million victims of the recent floods in Pakistan.  By the grace of the Almighty, the donations we collected were enough to fill an entire container. UMF has also been collecting monetary donations for the flood victims; to-date, we have contributed $3,517.00 to Islamic Relief USA - an amount which was matched, and therefore doubled - for just this cause. 

And there are still more donations pouring in!  Make your contribution today; click here to donate online through the link provided on our homepage. We have also participated in two shared fast-breaking iftaars this Ramadhan: one interfaith iftaar held at the Al-Ahad Center in Pennsylvania, and another held in conjunction with the Muslim Student Association at the University of Central Florida.  Each event was open to both Muslims and non-Muslims, and provided guests with the opportunity to learn more about Islam and their Muslim neighbors.

Click here to watch a video highlighting our Ramadhan events this year.

And there are many more events on the way!  Please read through the rest of our newsletter to see what else our volunteers have been up to, and how you can help.  Remember, "...whatever you give in charity, desiring Allah's pleasure-- it is these (persons) that shall get manifold" (Holy Qur'an 30:39).

                                                                           silent symphony

Click Here to Give an Eid Gift to An Orphan Child for Just 10$

View UMF's Ramadhan Reflections

What's exciting in this Issue?
:: Poetic Vision Tour
:: UMF Response to Qur'an Burning Threat
:: UMF FL: Hungerteam
:: MSA Knights Fastathon Report
:: UMF FL: Pakistan Disaster Relief Report
:: UMF FL: Interfaith Feeding Report
:: Discover Islam DVDs
:: UMF PA: Care Packages for Flood Victims
:: UMF PA: Day of Dignity Thank You Letter
:: UMF PA: Fair 4 Care Report
:: UMF PA: Interfaith Iftar Report
:: UMF PA featured in the local newspaper
:: UMF Scholarship Winners
:: UMF Games Korner!!!
:: Quicklinks
UMF FL

UMF Sponsors Poetic Vision Tour in ORLANDO!

Featuring Dawud Wharnsby and more!


United Muslim Foundation is proud to bring Poetic Vision Tour back to Orlando this Fall with Dawud Wharnsby Ali, Raef, Latifah, and much more!

Join UMF for this unique fusion of poetically rich & spiritually uplifting Folk-Rock music & Hip Hop poetry

Performances in Detroit, Toledo, Orlando, Gainesville, Miami, Tampa, Washington-DC, Princeton-NJ, Chicago-IL

Seating is now determined by when you buy your tickets so buy now to get the best seats, at the cheapest rates!
Part of the proceeds will go towards the Pakistan Flood and Disaster Relief Fund.

Get your Discounted Tix here


Find us on Facebook

PVT
UMF Response to Qur'an Burning Threat


-Working with the Gainesville Muslim Initiative (GMI), a vision to educate the general Gainesville community about the religion of Islam and its virtues including peace, generosity and tolerance.


- Appearing on Thursday 9/9 on Spanish Radio Station WOTS 1220am at 1pm and on Sat 9/11 on WORL 660 at 4pm with our interfaith partner to voice solidarity on issues such as this Qur'an Burning and Ground Zero mosque


-Donating $1000 to Al Furqaan to sponsor 500 Qur'ans


- Donating 100-150 translations of the Holy Qur'an along with Discover Islam brochures to the Rollins MSA to hand out to interested student and staff, combating ignorance with education.  The Qur'ans and brochures were made available to people walking by the campus center along with dates, Islamic bookmarks, and apples and honey in celebration along with Hillel - who also helped with the event - of Rosh Hashanah.


UMF FL HungerTeam Report


I have been blessed to be given an opportunity by the United Muslim Foundation to be an Officer of their Hunger Team. After my recent move from Toronto, Canada I have had an urge to give back to the world and do something to make a difference around me. I joined the team a month ago and it has been the best decision I have made at least in Florida so far! My first day on the job, I was accompanied by Sr Zainab Alidina to Panera bread where she informed me that every night a lot of food was thrown out because it was regarded "not fresh". The hunger team has been picking up bread from two different Panera bread locations and dropping it off to the homeless shelters in Sanford. I was impressed to see such initiative. Moreover the UMF Hunger Team has shown support and commitment to fight hunger on a Sunday morning along with Project Downtown Orlando to feed the hungry in the homeless shelter downtown. No doubt waking up on a Sunday morning at 7 am during Ramadhan was not easy but feeding the homeless was by far the best experience my Husband and I had. At the end of it, there was a sense of accomplishment however small it might have been. We felt that was the true essence of living; to live for the purpose of fighting hunger and poverty in the world. To make our world a better place for everyone to live in. The floods in Pakistan have been dreadful and for the most part unattended to as needed. Unfortunately the media and mass public around the world have a lot of negativity towards Pakistan in general and hence there has been a lack of aid or a slower process of it. However UMF and its hunger team once again joined in with other organizations around Orlando to help the people of Pakistan. An immensely quick response was shown by Orlando in terms of donations and we were able to donate plenty of clothes, baby food and medicines that Pakistan is in dire need of in their current situation. All donations were moved to a central location in Orlando and Lake Mary where volunteers attended to help sort the donations. It was certainly inspiring to see the dedication and commitment the volunteers had on a hot Saturday afternoon. I am very pleased to be part of this team and I thank Allah(swt) for giving me this opportunity to serve. I hope that the HungerTeam will continue to strive to even greater heights in being the change in the world.


With Regards

Zainab Suleiman

UMF proud to be a part of MSA Knight's Annual Fastathon



UMF co-sponsored this year's fastathon at UCF. The turnout was phenomenal! It was attended by over 500 people, including representatives from the United Church of Christ and Campus Peace Action. And to top it all off MSA collected over $2,000 for Pakistan, Masha-Allah! UMF would like to thank all the volunteers who bought or baked delicious home-made cakes and those who went the extra mile to buy and tirelessly help load and transport drinks and desserts.

And, we'd like to especially thank UCF MSA for letting us be a part of this very special annual tradition that helped to promote unity through the iftar (fast breaking meal), education through the fantastic speakers and charity for disaster relief in Pakistan.
Pakistan Disaster Relief Report


UMF volunteers have been working hard this Ramadhan to collect, pack, and load boxes filled with clothing and other goods for victims of the recent, devastating floods in Pakistan. Donations were gathered by United Muslim Foundation in conjunction with Project Downtown Orlando from members of the local community, and Alhamdulillah the response was tremendous! It took many dedicated volunteers long hours of sorting through the clothes, organizing them into age groups, boxing the supplies, and loading them for transportation - all while fasting in the heat of Florida! - But Alhamdulillah in the end the drive turned out to be a success worth all the hard work.  UMF was able to collect enough donations to fill an entire container with supplies, which will inshaAllah be shipped out via Miami to those in need.

Disaster Relief
Pakistan Relief
Interfaith Feeding Report..

turkish iftar

On Sunday August 22nd, as Muslims began their 2nd week of fasting  

United Muslim Foundation and United Church of Christ joined hands with  
Project Downtown Orlando on a sock drive for the homeless and to feed  
the local needy. This was an event that truly reflected the goals of  
united Muslim Foundation in it's essence - Promoting unity, education  
and charity all in one event. Working together with brothers and  
sisters of faith from mosques all over Orlando, children, elderly and  
youth of all ages and with our fellow church members was just  
spectacular. The event was also attended by Syed Ali Hur Kamoonpuri,  
visitng Alim from India, Congressional Candidate Todd Long and Circuit  
Judge candidate Shayan Elahi. There was lots of food to go around and  
extra food was sent to the men's and women's shelter in Downtown and  
soup kitchen in Sanford. After the event, everyone sat around in a  
circle to share their experiences and what they had learned from not  
only feeding the homeless, but talking to them as well about their  
needs and difficulties. It was heartwarming to hear stories about  
people who had lost everything in the hurricanes and were left  
homeless and to see how even little children were out on the streets  
with barely anything, but faith in God and hope in the loving spirit  
of humanity.
Discover Islam DVDs

discoverislamUnited Muslim Foundation is distributing free Discover Islam DVDs to churches, and other religious and educational institutions to help promote a better understanding of Islam.
 
If you would like a DVD set for your local church, synagogue, library, etc. please contact us at [email protected]. Please keep in mind that DVDs can only be mailed within the United States.  Recipients are strongly urged to share their impressions with Discover Islamafter viewing.

Young volunteers take initiative to help the needy

UMf Volunteer Sarrah Virji
and her friends have had bake sales for the past couple of years during Ramadhan, all in the spirit to help the needy. Whilst only 11 years old, Sarrah has taken such a noble initiative, demonstrating that no matter how young or small, they always have a way of teaching us valuable lessons. These are her words.

"We have been doing a bake sale every year in Ramadhan to help the needy. My friend and I have worked hard on the Bake Sales. Our brownies are the best! This year we decided to raise the money for the cause of the Pakistan Flood. We raised a total of $200 Mashallah!"

Also volunteering their time were Zahra Kermalli, Mehrin Juma, Mumtaz Abdul, Zahra Abdul, Marium Abdul, Masuma Somji, Siddiqa Kermalli, and Yasmeen Virji.  Mujahid Jaffer and friends took care of the bake sale on the men's side, selling an assortments of goods, including cake, cookies, brownies, fruit, and ice cream.
bakesalegirls
Other Organizations

Quranic Arabic Classes in Masjid Rahman

qur'an orientation Arabic classes are being offered at Masjid Ar Rahman, in the Center for Peace (Media Room), 1021 N. Goldenrod Rd. Orlando, FL 32807Orientation for the first set of classes will take place on
Saturday, September 18th from 9:00am to 10:30am.

The first class starts from the very beginning with the letters and learning to read. If you already know how to read, you can either get a great refresher or wait a couple of weeks into the class when they start memorizing words and learning sentence structures. Level Two starts on book one of Arabic Course for English-Speaking Students by Dr. V. Abdur Rahim. Level Three will be getting heavy into verbs, more advanced grammar rules, and with all of the classes, there's lots of vocabulary. In level Two and especially level Three, we memorize hadiths in Arabic.  The cost of each class is $150, and students must pass the prior course with at least 70% in order to proceed to the next level.

Level 1: Starts Tuesday, September 21th, 2010, Ends Saturday, January 8th, 2011  (Tuesdays 6-8 pm; Saturdays 12-2 pm)

Level 2: Starts Monday, September 20th, 2010, Ends Saturday, January 8th, 2011  (Monday 8:30-10:30 pm; Wednesday 6-8 pm;
Saturdays 10-12 am)

Level 3: Starts Saturday, October 23th, 2010, Ends Saturday, February 12th, 2011 (Monday 6:30-8:30 pm; Wednesday 8-10 pm;
Saturdays 8-10 am)

Level 4 Arjumiyyah (Arabic grammar text) will go if there is enough interest. To see what level you will go into, talk to Imam Abdul Atheem on Saturday.

The Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam said, "The preference or merits of the one who seeks knowledge over the worshipper, is like the brightness of the full moon over the stars." (Abu Dawud)
 
sat flyer final
The Rules of Engagement: rules of engagement
Islamic Code of Ethics
Shaykh Mohammed Faqih

Cost: $165
Register online here.

When:
September 24-26 & October 2-3, 2010
Fridays: 7pm-10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am-7pm

Where:
1st Weekend: (Sep. 24-26): Regal Sun Resort 1850 Hotel Plaza Blvd., Orlando, FL 32830,
2nd Weekend: (Oct 2-3): UCF (College of Sciences 101)

I.C.E. also stands for Integrity, Compassion, and Endurance, the three primary elements of noble character. The seminar will focus on these three qualities, in addition to many other magnificent values.  A wise man once said, "Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes. "

This seminar is for those who are ready to confront their weaknesses and overcome their shortcomings. It is for those who want to break free from the shackles of laziness and the prison of moral impotency.  Whether you are ready to take a stand or not, this seminar is going to give you both the motivation and the tools you need in your quest to gain control over your rebellious soul.

What You will Learn in this Seminar:
By the end of this seminar you will be able to...
* Know the Sunnah of Rasulullah, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and his example in dealing with people
* Understand how to deal and interact with one's parents
* Understand how to impress the ethics of Islam onto your children
* Deal with a hostile work environment and frustrating people
* Impress upon your own self a tightly-knit foundation of morality; in the pursuit of success in this temporal world and the Hereafter.

Give your excuses a black eye! Enroll Now! 
UMF PA

 Care Package for Pakistan Flood Victims
Report

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all those who donated Relief boxes and supplies for the Pakistan flood victims. Alhamdulillah, we have accumulated well over 200+ boxes from MALV, al-Manarah Foundation, Easton Masjid, and neighboring Muslim communities of the Lehigh Valley Area. The response has been very heart warming. May Allah greatly reward all of you, ameen. 

Upon PIA's request, our shipment of supplies will be delivered to PIA this Friday insha'Allah. If you would still like to drop off a completed relief box to be added to the shipment, you may do so by dropping it off by Thursday at MALV. If you would like to donate money to go towards relief supplies with this shipment (about $20 a box) please send it in a marked envelope "Pakistan relief box" and give it to Br Eihab. You can also donate for a box at this link http://www.ru-msa.com/relief.php which will go towards Rutgers University's Relief Efforts. This will be an on going effort on the behalf of many communities insha'Allah and we may also continue to collect supplies at a latter date.

Flood Relief

Flood Relief

Day of Dignity 2010
Thank You Letter to All Volunteers and Supporters

day of dignity3day of dignity 4


Assalam u alaikum

I pray this reaches all of you in the best of faith and health. The Philadelphia chapter of Islamic Relief held its fourth annual Day of Dignity event on Sunday, August 22nd, 2010. The purpose of Day of Dignity is to assist homeless and low-income individuals and families. This year, beneficiaries received a variety of items including sweatshirts, t-shirts, hygiene kits, blankets, gloves, boxers, knit caps, socks, dental floss, deodorant, chapstick, toilet rolls, reusable bags, school supplies, pizza, snack items, milk, water, and juice. Services included medical and dental screenings. Similar to previous years, this year's event was held during the month of Ramadan. Given that Ramadan is a month of reflection upon one's blessings, there couldn't be a more opportune time for the Day of Dignity as this event aims to serve the less fortunate. This year's event brought together over 100 volunteers from various affiliations and exceeded its goal of serving 450 beneficiaries.On behalf of the Philadelphia Day of Dignity steering committee, I would like to thank you for your support! Your donations helped make Day of Dignity a success this year. May God reward you for your generosity and we look forward to working with you again in the future.

Sarah Haque
Food & Registration Coordinator

Philadelphia
Day of Dignity 2010

Day of DignityDay of Dignity sponsors
Fair 4 Care Report

Fair for CareOne week before the commencement of the blessed month of Ramadhan, Muslims in the Lehigh Valley convened at Lone Lane Park to play soccer and raise money for a worthy cause.  This event constituted the fifth annual Fair 4 Care fundraising carnival and was sponsored by UMF, Al-Ahad Islamic Center, Islamic Education Center (IEC), and Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley (MALV).  Hundreds of Muslims from the Lehigh Valley and surrounding area gathered for the "Fair for Care and Soccer Tournament" on Saturday August 7th.  The event attracted soccer players and entire families for a day of fun and raised awareness about an important cause.  There were slides, an obstacle course, and trackless train, as well as games and food.  All in all, it was an exciting day of activities that helped instill the spirit of brotherhood and bring the community together.  This year about $4000 was collected and these proceeds were sent to aid victims of the floods in Pakistan, and were channeled through Islamic Relief.  


Fair for Care
Interfaith Iftar PA Report


On Saturday August 14th, Al-Ahad Islamic Center in conjunction with MALV and UMF, hosted an Interfaith Iftaar.  The Interfaith event was well attended by members of Churches, Synagogues, Universities, elected officials and residents of the Lehigh Valley.  The program commenced with the recitation of Qur'an, and then speakers from each of the monotheistic faiths were given the opportunity to talk about hospitality.  The interfaith event manifested the similarities and highlighted the connections that exist between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.  The program concluded with a question & answer session with each of the speakers as well as a delicious iftaar dinner that was enjoyed by all!

Interfaith Iftar

The Beauty of Ramadhan Celebration is in 'the colors of the crowd'

Iftar tops off the evening event

August 14, 2010|By Arlene Mart�nez, OF THE MORNING CALL

On Sunday evenings, a group of Muslim women, some with children, head to Swim-In Zone in Center Valley where they spend an evening socializing and swimming. The women do so without their Islamic headscarves, called a hijab, because there are no men around.

That includes Swim-in Zone co-owner Jim Pantano, who makes himself scarce at the weekly United Muslim Foundation's outings.

So when members of UMF invited Pantano and his wife, Penny, to an Interfaith Iftar Saturday night to learn more about Islam and celebrate an evening during Ramadan, the couple quickly agreed, thinking it would be "a lot of fun," Jim Pantano said. Admittedly, he knows little about the occasion but came "to learn something."

The Pantanos were among 75 or so people who attended the second annual interfaith Ramadan event at the Al-Ahad Islamic Center in South Whitehall Township. Members of the community were invited by the organizing groups - UMF, the Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley, the Islamic Cultural Center of Allentown, Peace and Justice Across Borders and Al-Ahad Islamic Center - to celebrate similarities between religions and cultures and to get to know one another, UMF's events coordinator Tanveer Walli said.

Ramadan, which started here Thursday, lasts 29 to 31 days depending on when the moon shows itself as the narrow crescent, which signals the end. During that time, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, at which point they eat an evening meal called Iftar. Fasting is an important part of Ramadan, but so is frequent praying, giving to those who are less fortunate and appreciating the good in one's life, Walli said.

"You're cleansing your soul. It's a time to reflect on yourself and look inwards," she said. "You're looking at yourself, and how you can improve yourself."

Organizer Nagi Latefa welcomed the crowd, remarking on the pleasant night.

"It's beautiful not because of the weather but because of all the colors in the crowd," Latefa said, referring to the diversity among the guests.

"Islam is the most misunderstood religion nowadays," he continued. "We are determined to continue to reach out ... to spread the word about Islam."

The Koran not only encourages Muslims to reach out to and get to know neighbors by hosting events like the one on Saturday, it commands them to do so, Latefa said.

After remarks by several speakers, the crowd planned to sit down for Iftar at 8:45 p.m. to chicken, pasta, salad and other dishes organizers spent the day preparing.

The event was open to the public, and organizers reached out to churches, synagogues, universities and politicians, and invited them to bring friends and family. U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-15th District, independent congressional candidate Jake Towne and Allentown Councilman Mike Schlossberg were among the attendees.

[email protected]

Article Excerpt:
Exclusionary Practices at Islamic Centers

...The landscape of Arabia before the advent of Islam was riddled with tribal warfare.  Clan affiliation carried high value, and those without family ties often found themselves alone and vulnerable.  Into this scene, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) came with a message of equality and brotherhood, a message which stressed the importance of a person's faith over the kinship bonds which had ruled during Al-Jaahiliyya.

New connections were thus formed on the basis of faith, and believers were exhorted to stand united.  As the Holy Qur'an states in Surah Ale-Imran, verse 103:  "And hold fast all together by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you) and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favor on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love so that by His grace ye became brethren...."  The same idea of the Muslims being one brotherhood is also mentioned in Surah Al-Hujraat, verse ten...

Allah (swt) addresses the issue of differing ethnicities in Surah Hujraat, verse 13, where He states: "O you men! surely We have created you male and female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other; surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty); surely Allah is Knowing, Aware."

Here again we see that taqwa is placed above issues of pedigree.  But there is also one additional point made: that the purpose of our differences is not to keep us separated, but to act as a means for us to know each other even better.

So is it Islamic to keep one's culture?  Of course, culture is an important means of identity, and one which is given to us by Allah (swt).  But safeguarding one's culture does not mean living within a cultural bubble; then we would not be getting to know one another.  Rather, we should preserve our own good customs whilst sharing  This would allow us not only to enrich others, but also to learn from and be enriched by them... them with those around us.

To read full article, click here: C:\Documents and Settings\qbg494\Desktop\mosque debate.mht  

UMF Scholarship Winners!

UMF awarded three $4,000 scholarships for the 2010-2011 academic year to High School Seniors or University Students who volunteered their time to UMF, demonstrated leadership skills and exceptional academic rigor. The winners are:

Kanizeh Fatema Visram

I am an international student from Kenya where I attended a British education system high school before moving to the US about four years ago. I then attended Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA where I pursued my B.S. degree in Biochemistry, in addition to experiencing various research opportunities at Harvard University - Stem Cell Institute and Novartis Pharmaceutical. I am now attending University of California - San Francisco, which is currently ranked number one in the world for pharmacy, with the goal of achieving my Doctorate of Pharmacy with a specialization in Cancer/Infectious Diseases. I hope with my educational and professional experiences, I can take my work to the developing world and make a difference in the lives of those who are most in need of medical care.


Mazaher Kassam


I was born and brought up in Dar es salaam , Tanzania. I have an experience of 6 years in the field of Information Technology and almost 4 years in Security Systems. I'm currently doing my Associates of Science in Computers and Networking , the scholarship will help me partially pay up with my loan and help me advance in attaining a degree in Network Security.


Rizwan Merchant


I graduated with my bachelors degree in Accounting from the University of Florida. I am currently pursuing my masters degree in Finance at Virginia Commonwealth University. I am grateful to UMF for giving me the opportunity to enhance my education in the corporate world, thus allowing me to ultimately aid the community with financial stability and gain new-found knowledge.

games intro
game 3

Win two free Poetic Vision Tour Tickets:
Test Your Qur'an Skillz!!!


1. Which surah of the Holy Qur'an begin with "Alhamdu Lillahi"? (1)

2. What is the meaning of "Fattaqullaah wa ati'oon" in Surah Ash-Shu'ara and how many times is this verse repeated in
the surah. (2)

 3. A verse of Surah Al-An'aam, which covers all aspects of our existence, is highly recommended to recite before every salaat. Which verse number is it? (1)

4. This surah has derived its name from its 25th verse. Name the Surah? (2)

5. In Surah Al-A'araaf the heedless people are likened to which animal? (1)

6. In one of the surah recited on the 23rd night of the month of Ramadhan, Allah (swt) mentions 'Deeni Haneefa'. What does it mean, and mention the surah and verse numbers? (2)

7. Verse 41 of Surah Al-Anfal mentions which branch of religion? (1)

8. Which mosque, mentioned in Surah Tawbah, was built by mischief makers to cause discord among the believers? (1)

9. The daughter of which Prophet was a wife of an Ulul azm Prophet? (1)

10. Name the 7 tyrants mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. (2)

11. In one of the verses of Surah Al-Anfal Allah (swt) mentions the six categories of recipients deserving Khums. Who are they? (2)

12. This same verse also mentions the 'day of distinction', the day when the 2 armies met. Which day is this referring to? (1 )

13. Which Verse of Surah Baqarah is a supplication in qunoot of salaat? (1)

14. Which are the 5 mosques mentioned in the Holy Qur'an? (2)

15. How many angels are mentioned by their name in the Holy Our'an? Quote the surah & verses where they are mentioned? (2)

 16. How many times and where in the Holy Our'an, is the Prophet Muhammed (saww) addressed as Yaa Ayyuhan Nabi? (2)

17. Which verse in the Holy Our'an refers to the Holy Prophet (saww) taking a highest physical position with Allah (swt)? (2)

18. Name the personalities unto whom Allah (swt) sends his salutations in Surah As-Saffat? (2)

19. Which verses are known as Ayatul Mulk? Also mention the surah number? (2) 

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