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Grand Opening: Netoppew Halal Farm

Organically raised goat meat in local VA farm

delivered fresh at below-commercial price!

Our animals are organically raised in a clean environment, free of chemicals and growth hormones, always treated kindly, and hand-slaughtered humanely in accordance with the obligations of Halal — compared to the ‘commercial’ grade Halal meat produced in large scale commercial farms and available at grocery stores.

Introductory Offer:  Prepay for 200 pounds

— young goat $3/pound — baby goat $4/pound —

& take delivery in up to 8 installments over 12 months!

Regular Price — (in 2 pound packages or whole)

Young goat (around 1 year old – 30 pounds minimum) $3.75/pound

Baby goat (around 6 months old – 20 pounds minimum) $4.75/pound

We’ll bring it to you at NO charge (Northern VA & Richmond areas)!

Please call Mukit to place an order

703-507-7223 / net.halal@yahoo.com

Netoppew is the oldest known word for ‘friends’ in America.  During the time of the first permanent English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia, Captain John Smith recorded several Powhatan (of Pocahontas fame) Native American words in his journal – and Netoppew was one of those.

Imam Magid denounces extremism on internet

Imam Magid, the popular Imam of the ADAMS Center in Northern Virginia, speaks about the dangerous threat facing Muslim youth today: religious extremism from so called Muslim “scholars” on the internet. Watch below:

A Muslim in the Army

A recent article in The Washington Post provides a startlingly in-depth and emotional account of a young American Muslim serving in the U.S. Army. The article covered the backlash and harassment Zachari Klawonn deals with as a Muslim soldier.

The first thing that struck me was the picture at the beginning of the article: A lean, olive skinned young man wearing  Army fatigues standing on a prayer rug with his hands raised to begin the prayer. As soon as I saw it I felt drawn in. The picture felt familiar and right. And not just because I come from a military family and have seen my father pray in his uniform several times. It felt right because  the picture affirmed for me, the promise of America. That there is no conflict between being American and being Muslim.

As I read the story, I found myself simultaneously feeling detached and connected to him. Detached because I couldn’t relate to the intense harassment he was put through because of his faith. I’ve been blessed throughout my life to be surrounded by people with warm hearts. I felt connected to him though, because of his desire to serve.

Zachari talks about his decision to enlist in the Army:

Then Klawonn’s father was told he had cancer and died just weeks later. Golf suddenly seemed so trivial. Klawonn thought back to how his dad, a convert to Islam, had always talked about his five years in the Air Force. How he had enlisted straight out of his Kansas high school. How it had given his life purpose and molded him into the man he was.

He could be like his father: one of his country’s proud defenders. There were Muslims to protect in the United States, just as there were in Iraq.

To this day, one of my only regrets was not having been able to serve in our nation’s Armed Forces, as my father and brother do. I can definitely understand and appreciate the pull, as Zachari did, to be a part of something greater than yourself. And just like Zachari, unfortunately, I’ve come across a few people who seem to think that an American Muslim cannot or should not serve in the U.S. Military. This view has been rejected:

Muzammil Siddiqi, an imam in Orange County, Calif., and member of the North American Fiqh Council, which issues rulings on issues of concern to Muslims, said Islam in no way prohibits Muslims from serving in the U.S. or other non-Muslim militaries, and they may even participate in war.

I encourage all young Muslims to read this article. The harassment Zachari had to put up with is frustrating, but the real gem of the story is how Zachari held up under such mental and physical strain with a healthy attitude looking forward instead of backwards.

Muslims in China & Food!

A fascinating blog post by a college student who studied in China and encountered ethnic Chinese Muslims. Below is a quote:

Having been here for almost three months, I have been keenly observing the Islamic life. Despite China’s oppressiveness, a diverse, multi-faceted Muslim culture still perseveres. Although there is a certain level of rigid tension between the Muslim community and the greater Chinese community, I have found that through Halal food the two cultures can find a common ground.

Central Virginia Quran Competition

The Fifth Annual Central Virginia Quran Competition from centralva QCC on Vimeo.

This video from Central Virginia Community Leaders has been meticulously prepared through the dedicated efforts of Muslim youth in our community, and is a testimony to the importance of empowering our youth with responsibility and a sense of belonging to our institutions and our causes.

We look forward to seeing you at the Preliminaries on March 13th from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM and at the Finals Ceremony on March 20, inshaAllah!

Register TODAY

Click Here for an Application

Muslims & Jews in the middle east

I just read a tragic story on CNN about a man attempting to bomb a synagogue in Egypt. Thankfully the synangogue was mostly empty and no one was hurt, but this reminds me of how much we need to work on relations between the abrahamic faiths: especially Muslims and Jews.

This reminds me of a very important article by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf about holocaust deniers. In this article he emphasizes the importance of believability and using reason when it comes to analyzing faith, religion and current events.

A great quote from his article is below:

Much of what we know about the world and what we accept as truth comes from multiply-transmitted accounts. Let’s say I claim that Australia doesn’t exist and is merely a figment of our imagination, that its origins lie in a whimsical cartographer in the Middle Ages who decided that such a large ocean needed a land mass. And, when confronted with people who claim to be from Australia and can prove it, I dismiss them as part of a conspiracy of cartographers who wish to perpetuate the myth of their forbearer. I would be laughed at, or ignored, or deemed “certifiable.” While this example seems absurd, many people actually believe things just as fatuous and far-fetched.

Holocaust denial is one such example.

There are many reasons, most of them political, for why there is such mistrust between ethnic/faith communities in the middle east. But those of us who claim to derive our moral/ethical system from our faith should stand alert and question the attitudes and views we hold about people of different faiths.

Specifically when it comes to relations between Muslims and Jews, we Muslims should know there is important bridge-building/repairing that needs to be done. This becomes harder, indeed almost impossible, if we don’t question and reject un-Islamic attitudes about Jews. Holocaust denail is one example of an un-Islamic attitude.

Learn about the Census this Friday

Dear Muslim Community members: Assalamu Alaykum,

Islamic Center is hosting an event to educate the Muslim community about the 2010 Census, to inspire interest in the process and encourage participation. The Census Bureau staff will be at Islamic Center this Friday January 15, 2010 from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. They will answer any of your questions and demonstrate that the 2010 Census is easy, safe and important. They will set up an information booth at each entrance of the Center.

You are encouraged to stop by one of the booths and ask questions. It is important that we as Muslims show our full participation, talk to the staff and educate ourselves about the upcoming 2010 Census.

Islamic Center of Virginia
1241 Buford Road,
Richmond, VA 23235

THE SOLA CAMPAIGN

The SOLA campaign is  an international art project by A-Pax (Artists for Peace) that promotes the peaceful teachings of Islam and condemns the brutal and inhumane acts being committed in the name of this faith. The campaign takes its name from the word for “peace” in Pashto, the national language of Afghanistan.

Read the rest of this entry »

Eid Picnic

Deep Run Park

Muslims & Ramadan in Congress

NPR interviewed the head of the Congressional Muslim Staff Association (CMSA) about Ramadan at the Capitol. A great interview!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112506246

“Muslims across the world are celebrating Ramadan, the holiest thirty days of the year. Earlier this week, President Obama hosted Iftaar – the evening breaking of the day-long fast by Muslim adults. And another Iftaar is scheduled to be held on Capitol Hill. J. Saleh Williams, the Program and Outreach Coordinator of the Congressional Muslim Staffers Association, discusses Ramadan on the ‘Hill’.”