ICNA Islamic Circle of North America

Among the most basic needs of every human being lies the need for food and sustenance. Although this basic necessity is no revelation to anyone, the amount of people that must go without food in this country is alarming. Since the US. Department of Agriculture began measuring food security in 1995, hunger levels in America have steadily increased,with hunger present in 14.6 percent of households in 2008. That’s 13 million households and a total of 49 million Americans, the highest level of hunger since the measurement began.

Adding to the magnitude of this problem is the amount of children affected by hunger. Children experienced hunger in 506,000 households; an increase of 183,000 households from 2007. Many children face losing school meals at the end of the school year, and families end up tightening their food budget to pay for other expenses (i.e. rent, utilities, insurance, etc).

We are reminded in the Qur’an :
‘find they (servants of Allah) feed, for the love of Allah, the poor and the orphan, and the captive.” ( Al-lnsan, 76 )
With this obligation to the hungry in mind and fresh off the heels of a month of fasting during Ramadan, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) invites you to take part in our National Campaign Against Hunger and help alleviate hunger in our communities, in our states and in our nation in a month of awareness, service and advocacy.

ICNA Relief Meat Drive is an annual event, where we give back to poor and the needy.

 
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JAMAICA, New York (September 28, 2010) – The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) announced today its National Campaign Against Hunger, a month-long campaign of advocacy, awareness and service to battle the growing effects of hunger on our nation. Bearing the slogan “United Against Hunger – Standing Up For Justice,” the campaign will begin on October 1, 2010. We invite people of all faiths to join hands in support of poor and needy Americans.
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By Zainab Arain

September 26th, 2010 – A flurry of negative media coverage was the backdrop for this year’s Muslim Family Day at Six Flags theme parks nationwide. Controversy and public outcry about the event’s nearness to September 11th produced threats of boycotts and unwarranted accusations against ICNA, but despite the misinformed backlash ICNA, the American Muslim community and Six Flags presented a united front in hosting a peaceful and fun filled event.
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(NEW YORK, NY, 9/20/2010) –- A number of local and national American Muslim leaders today issued a call for “A Week of Dialogue” in October to combat bigotry and promote understanding and religious tolerance in civil society.
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LINDA SCHMIDT

20 Sep 2010, MYFOXNY.COM – Muslim leaders from around the country held a summit Sunday in New York. Then Monday, they gathered to call for a national week of dialogue in October to stem what they feel is a rising tide of intolerance toward Muslims. They are also asking mosques across the country to open their doors to people of all faiths.

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ICNA Relief Florida: Feeding the Needy Project

 
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 17, 2010) – In a press release issued today, the ICNA Council for Social Justice (ICSJ) addressed a shocking report on national poverty statistics in 2009.
 
Staggering figures released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau in its annual report on poverty, income and health coverage pin the national poverty rate at 14.3 percent, its highest level in the past 15 years.
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NEW YORK, NY (September, 2010) – The Islamic Circle of North America kept busy this Ramadan, with chapters in New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Washington D.C. supplying backpacks and school supplies to families in need. ICNA’s Back to School Giveaway garnered much attention—nearly 5,500 school bags were distributed over the course of the month.

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By SARAH RASLAN, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Sept. 6, 2010

While Muslims prepare for the Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, some are apprehensive about how close the holiday is expected to fall to the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

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By P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR | ARAB NEWS

Sep 12, 2010

JEDDAH: An American Christian leader has emphasized the need to stop the current wave of anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States, urging Christians to talk to Muslims rather than about them and to accurately follow the teachings of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him).

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Monday, September 13, 2010

By MELISSA REPKO / The Dallas Morning News

ARLINGTON – Toting strollers and water bottles, thousands of Muslims visited Six Flags Over Texas on Sunday for the fourth annual Muslim Family Day at the amusement park.

Muslim Family Day is sponsored by the local chapter of the Islamic Circle of North America and was timed to celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The event began at the Six Flags in New Jersey in 2000 and later was adopted at other Six Flags parks.
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Transcript:

LIANE HANSEN, host:

Today is Muslim Family Day at many Six Flags theme parks across the country, including one just outside Washington, D.C. The event is sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America, or ICNA. This grassroots organization has been providing Islamic educational, social and charitable services to the American Muslim community for four decades and there are local chapters in cities from Atlanta, Georgia to San Francisco, California.

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JAMAICA, New York (September, 9 2010) – In a press release issued today, the Islamic Circle of North America welcomed the decision of a local Gainesville church to suspend its proposed “Quran burning” event.
 
The decision comes after much controversy and condemnation, with high profile personalities such as General David Petraeus, Hilary Clinton and President Barack Obama weighing in. President Obama said the “stunt [was] contrary to American values,” and officials warned that if the event were carried out it would endanger American troops and provoke violence abroad.
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Dear Brothers and Sisters,
 
Assalamu alaikum and greetings to all,
 
As you are aware, there is an alarming rise of anti-Muslim rhetoric throughout the country that is guided by calculated bigotry and racism for political gain, and is aimed at excluding Muslim Americans from the economic and social life of this nation.
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The Islamic Circle of North America is launching a month-long National Campaign Against Hunger during the month of October 2010. The National Campaign Against Hunger aims to tackle hunger from both a social service and social justice perspective. This initiative follows “Save Family Save Society,” a grassroots national family campaign successfully held by ICNA in October 2009.

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SACRAMENTO, California (Sept 7, 2010) – In a time where many are asking questions about Islam, Sacramento Muslims are providing the answers.

The Sacramento chapter of the Islamic Circle of North America and its 877-WhyIslam team have put American Muslims on the map with their numerous outreach campaigns. Most recently ICNA made an appearance at the California State Fair, boasting the “longest Dawah booth” in the United States—19 straight days of education and outreach.

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BOCA RATON, Florida (September 8, 2010)- In a press release issued today the Islamic Circle of North America Southeast Region expressed support for upcoming charitable and interfaith events being hosted by Muslims in Gainesville, FL.
 
Gainesville recently made headlines when a local church announced plans to burn copies of the holy Quran on the ninth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Despite condemnation from several political and religious leaders, the church’s pastor insists the event will be held as planned. ICNA Southern California has already pledged to distribute 10,000 free copies of the Quran in response to the church’s plans.
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By Dan Gilgoff – CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor

For Muslims, the end of the holy month of Ramadan is typically cause for celebration, with three days of feasting and socializing after a month of daytime fasting.

This year, though, many American Muslims are greeting Ramadan’s end with a measure of worry, as the holiday coincides with the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

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