Thursday February 9, 2012
As the Republicans narrow down their candidates, many Muslim Republicans feel sidelined by their party. To many, it seems that rather than courting the Muslim vote, candidates strive to marginalize them through tough talk about home-grown Muslim extremists, and by debating whether Muslims would even be allowed to serve in their Administration. Meanwhile, many Muslims who voted for Obama feel disappointed by unkept promises.
While Muslims only represent 1% of the U.S. population, Muslims are concentrated in states like Michigan, Ohio, and Florida where they can have served as swing voters in past elections. Muslims often vote as a bloc, but in this upcoming election many Muslims feel uninspired by the choices. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has published a 2012 Presidential Voter Guide to help Muslims register to vote, decide among candidates, and be involved in the political process.
Read more about Muslim views on the U.S. elections:
Wednesday February 1, 2012
In the Islamic calendar, the 12th day of Rabia 'Awal (Saturday) marks the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Muslims do not universally recognize this day, called Milad An-Nabi in Arabic, as a special observance. Nevertheless, many do take the time to remember the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
Tuesday January 31, 2012
During a recent visit to Madinah, I was humbled to stand at the battle site of Uhud. For many Muslims, the battle was considered a horrible defeat, yet the lessons learned and the ultimate victory of the struggling Muslim community is an inspiration. At the Battle of Uhud in the third year after Hijrah (625 A.D.), an invading army from Makkah attacked the Muslims of Madinah. It initially looked like the small group of defenders would win the battle. But at a key moment, some fighters disobeyed orders and left their posts out of greed and pride, ultimately causing the Muslim community to endure horrible losses. While the Makkans were victorious in that particular battle, they were unsuccessful in their ultimate goal of wiping out the Muslims once and for all.
Learn more about the Battle of Uhud and the lessons it continues to teach us.
Thursday January 19, 2012
Nominations have just opened for the 2012 About.com Islam Readers' Choice Awards! On the category page, you will find links to nomination forms in five categories:
You can make a nomination now in any or all of the categories. The timeline for the About.com Readers' Choice Awards is as follows:
- Nominations: Now until 15 February 2012 (11:59 PM EST)
- Finalists Announced: 22 February 2012
- Voting Period: 22 February through 21 March 2012 (11:59 PM EST)
- Winners Announced: 30 March 2012
While the About.com Readers' Choice Awards have been around for a few years, this is the first time that the About.com Islam GuideSite is participating. This is an ideal opportunity for your to recognize your favorites among the categories. It is even allowed to nominate yourself, or encourage others to nominate you! (Please note, however, that offering any kind of reward in exchange for nominations or votes is strictly forbidden; violators will be disqualified without warning.)
Both finalists and winners will get an attractive logo (similar to the one above) that they can use on their webpages and other promotional material. They will also have the satisfaction of knowing that they have been chosen as one of the best in their field by the 61 million monthly unique visitors who find About.com their most trusted source on the Internet.
So what are you waiting for? Read a brief description of the categories, and make your nominations today!
