ICNA Islamic Circle of North America

(Hartford, CT) – ICNA-MAS Convention is known for its wide array of programs designed for the entire family. In addition to the many tracks and main sessions offered at the ICNA Convention which Sisters benefit from, this year ICNA Sisters’ Wing has announced that they wile be holding a one day Women’s Conference as part of the convention. Sisters will be able to mingle with doctors, social workers, activists, and women from the community. Issues will be discussed from everything from motherhood, daughterhood, and spirituality to problems finding inner peace. Sisters are invited to experience: reflection, self-defense, sisterhood, and networking. The Womens Conference will feature Yvonne Ridley, Amy Goodman, and Shahina Siddiqi.

The Womens Conference will take place on Saturday July 7th, 2007 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hartford Marriot. For more and to register: http://convention.icna.org

There Is No "Conversion" In Islam was the message of speakers such as Sheikh Mukhtar Muhgraoui and Sheikh Yasir Qadhi at the 2nd ICNA-MAS South Central Regional Conference. Memorial Day Weekend is considered the most traveled of the year. This past Sunday hundreds of families gathered at the University Center at the University of Houston. Both the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Muslim American Society (MAS) are leading national Muslim grassroots level organizations.

Attendees had come from New York, Virginia, Baton Rouge, Austin, Dallas, College Station, San Antonio and of course Houston itself. They went back home charged-up having received many practical guidance which would help to take the Message of Islam to the masses.

This years theme was based on the Qur'anic verse: “Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: For thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.” – 16:125

Other than speeches and an extensive bazaar with various Muslim vendors, the conference also featured the world's largest Qur'an. A science exhibition featuring Harun Yahya's works included actual fossils found across the globe, and explored the existence of one Lord while refuting the Theory of Evolution.

Some of the topics that were presented included: “What makes Islam the fastest growing religion in the World”, “Way of your Lord”, “Judiciousness in Dawah”,  “Islam: Role of Masajid in Dawah”; “Best Resources are right within us”; “Milestones in giving Dawah from Prophetic Methodology”; “Lets’ not forget our limits”; “Youth: Their Role in the past & Present of Islam”; “Dawah: Do’s Don’ts”; “Exclusive Session for Sisters” and others.

The program started with recitation of Qur'an by Dr. Mohammad Yunus, Former President of ICNA. Then the current President of ICNA Dr. Khurshid Khan welcomed the attendees of the conference and introduced the work of ICNA.

Throughout the day, the attendees were reminded of this duty as given in the Qur'an: “Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity.” – (3:104)

During these days when Islam is much in focus, the behavior of each Muslim is considered representative of Islam. As such there is need for each Muslim to have basic knowledge of Islam in order to practice it properly and become a true ambassador of his/her faith.

It was stressed that nobody converts to Islam: All humans were once spirits and indeed before coming to this life in the form of flesh, they had taken a covenant with Allah SWT of submitting to His Will: But when they came to this world, they forgot that pledge and the job of Muslims is just to remind humanity of that promise. The job of a Muslim is not to convert anyone to Islam rather it is to recall them back to their Lord. The Idea is to convey the message and the rest is between that person and Allah SWT. It is only Allah SWT, who based on the sincere desire of a person, changes his or her heart.

Many prominent speakers spoke at the event: Dr. Khurshid Khan, Sheikh Abdool Rahman Khan, Naeem Baig, Sheikh Mukhtar Muhgraoui, Sheikh Yasir Kazi, Sheikh Khalid Griggs, Sheikh Moustafa Mahmoud, Sheikh, Zoubir Bouchikhi, Dr. Hamed Ghazali, Dr. Muhammas Yunus, Sheikh Rodwan Saleh, Sister Jameela Yusuf, Sabeel Ahmad, Omar Suleiman, Alejandro Hamid,Samid AL-Khateeb and Yahya Gant.

For more information about ICNA activities, please call 1-866-323-1063 or visit www.icna.org

Hundreds of competitors gather for Islamic Games
BY CHRIS GAETANO, Staff Writer

More than 75 teams composed of about 600 Muslim athletes converged upon South Brunswick on Saturday for the 2007 Islamic Games.

Hosted by Crossroads South Middle School and sponsored primarily by the Islamic Circle of North America, this year's event resurrected the games after a hiatus since the early 1990s.

The games were started in order to fill what organizers saw as a need for more opportunities for young Muslim athletes to compete. The event's founder, Saludeen Nausrudeen, said that many Islamic parochial schools don't have enough athletic programs, especially for girls, and noted that certain religious requirements can make sports difficult for more devout athletes. To address this, the Islamic Games were born.

The event accommodated the Muslim faith by having breaks for prayer, separate areas for male and female competitions, and by having Halal foods available. Participants were also expected to follow, as noted on the schedule, "proper Islamic manners and etiquettes" at all times, which mostly meant observing good sportsmanship and clean language. Islamic dress codes were also expected, with the itinerary saying "if you can pray in it, you can play in it."
There was a large degree of diversity among the games' participants in many different areas. Some were as young as 9 while others were well into middle age. Some men sported large, thick beards while other chins were hairless. Women and girls present were in various states of coverage – some wore a modest head scarf, others sported garb that left only their eyes exposed, and many others were somewhere between. Almost all females, however, were in long sleeves and pants, keeping to traditional Islamic dress codes.

Teams came from all over the region and a few from as far away as England, representing parochial schools, youth groups and other organizations. Meanwhile, the games saw participants ranging from hardcore athletes to interested amateurs.

"I usually run track meets for school, and this was the only Islamic one I went to," said Muhammad Ahsan, who, after preparing for two weeks, came to the Islamic Games to finish first in the 4×200-meter relay event. Out of breath at the end of his race, he said he felt "very great."

Woodbridge's Saeed Aziz, meanwhile, was playing volleyball, a game he noted that he hadn't played for the past eight or nine years, and even then had done so only casually.

Girls events were held mostly in the gymnasium or, if outdoors, in fields separate from where boys were playing, as per Islamic traditions. As Abir Catovic, of Montgomery, watched young girls playing volleyball, she noted that the event was a good opportunity for them to get an early start on sports.

"I think it's a good start. It's a nice thing to get these young Muslim girls to play sports and meet people from other communities, which is pretty nice, and overall I think it's nice," said Catovic.

Competitors said that the Islamic environment for the games made for an overall positive playing experience. As coach Wael Hamza, of Westchester, N.Y., took a short break from a soccer match, he noted that players weren't shouting, fighting or cursing at each other, which helped his team concentrate more on the game. He also expressed that participating in the games brought other benefits.

"We got to meet so many people from outside our area. We drove all the way from New York, we drove one-and-a-half hours, and as you can see, we're having fun and winning the games, and I think it's beautiful," said Hamza, who said he has been involved in soccer for his whole life.

source:
http://nbs.gmnews.com/news/2007/0601/Front_Page/001.html

By ERICA HARBATKIN, STAFF WRITER – eharbatkin@thnt.com

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — About 600 Muslim athletes descended on Crossroads South Middle School on Saturday for the first-ever Islamic Games.

Kids ages 8 to 17 kicked soccer balls, shot basketballs, spiked volleyballs, rounded wickets and ran sprints in the first annual event sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America.Hassan Syed, 13, of North Brunswick, was scrambling up to the last minute to put together a soccer team fit to compete in the games.

"The team that we were versing, they were much more experienced. They were registered a long time before us," Hassan said after the disappointing 4-1 loss.

But the day wasn't a complete loss — Hassan and his teammates all said the game was very competitive, and made for a good challenge.

"I like how they competed with us and how tough they were," said Ahad Shahid, 11, of Edison, who plays in leagues in Edison.
"The game wasn't that bad," said Alamzeb Khan, 11, of Booten, who wants to play basketball in next year's games. "But I cost the team two goals because two of them bounced off my foot and went in the goal."

But as his teammates sat around him eating post-game snacks, no one seemed to be too concerned about it.

"I've known them a long time," he said.

Ahmed Soliman, 17, of Woodbridge, was nearby waiting for his basketball game to begin. With basketball drawing the most participants, many teams waited a long time for their games to tip off.

Soliman, who was a wrestler at JFK High School in Woodbridge before transferring to Piscataway's An-Noor Academy, said he decided to compete on a whim.

"I was playing basketball and my friends told me about it," he said. "I had nothing better to do so I came along."

Others had been looking forward to the weekend for a while. Taahir Latif, 16, of South Orange, jumped at the opportunity to play cricket.

"We always play cricket at our mosque," said Latif, who goes to the National Islamic Association in Newark. "So when we saw a chance to play in a cricket tournament, we decided to go for it."

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070527/NEWS010214/705270425/1005

Muslims from throughout the Northeast to gather in So. Brunswick Saturday
BY CHRIS GAETANO

SOUTH BRUNSWICK – More than 600 Muslim student-athletes from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania will play and pray at Saturday's 2007 Islamic Games.

Held at Crossroads South Middle School, the event will feature competitions in basketball, soccer, volleyball, cricket and various track and field events, with about 30 different Muslim parochial schools and organizations taking part from around the region. The large number of participating athletes might be explained by what the event's organizers say is a general lack of athletic programs for Muslim schools around the area. In fact, this observation became the basis for the Islamic Game's founding by Salaudeen Nausrudeen when he was still in high school.

"Muslim schools, numbering almost 40 in New Jersey, [often] do not have sports or athletic programs, which is why we are doing it in May and not deep into the summer because a lot of Muslim schools can participate and be part of the action," said Nausrudeen.
Muslim students who want to take part in sports will sometimes join up with local youth leagues, but for the more devout among them, this can sometimes be a problematic proposition. The requirement that believers pray five times a day, the need for separate Halal foods, as well as certain dress and behavioral codes can isolate a Muslim athlete from his or her peers both physically and socially. Nausrudeen, who professed a lifelong interest in sports, felt this was regrettable given his feeling of the positive impact sports can have on young people.

"We need the Islamic Games because [for] Muslims, especially of the female gender, there's particular circumstances or conditions that they have to abide by, and if a Muslim woman was to go to a basketball team or soccer team as per normal, then there is definitely going to be something that does not fit in with her religion," said Nausrudeen.

Providing an appropriate forum for athletic competition was what Nausrudeen set out to do when he founded the Islamic Games while he was still in high school in the late '80s. While the event went into hibernation due to fading interest, he noted the revival of the games came from an outpouring of demand from Muslim students.

"There's been a groundswelling from Muslim youth and parents [asking], 'What are we doing? Are we going to be spectators all our lives?' We should be actively involved on the court also or on the track. … There's nothing Islamic about basketball or volleyball or soccer, but the way you play is what makes it more Islamic," said Nausrudeen.

Specifically, the event will feature breaks for prayer, Halal food and general encouragement of good sportsmanship. Most of the funding for the games comes from the Islamic Circle of North America, one of the largest Muslim organizations in the country. It has also caught the attention of Imam Shraj Wahg, a prominent spiritual leader in the greater metropolitan area, who participated in the first Islamic games as a basketball player. Organizers also expect a lot of spectators for the games and also noted that there has been community interest from people of other faiths as well – Nausrudeen said that many of the teams have non-Muslim players as well.

The theme for this year's games is "Strong Inside, Strong Outside," because the organizers want to encourage participants to improve themselves both athletically and spiritually.

"The inside needs to be strong, which is why there is faith, prayers and fasting," Nausrudeen said. "But while you build on the inside, the outside also needs to be built, so the Islamic Games need to provide a channel, a forum, for the outside to show."

Nausrudeen praised the South Brunswick School District for its support in the event, saying everything was done very professionally. The event is scheduled for Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. It will have medals and trophies for winners and will also feature fun and games for children. More information can be found on the event's Web site, www.islamic-games.com.

http://nbs.gmnews.com/news/2007/0524/Front_Page/014.html