A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy group has condemned Thursday's attack on Fort Hood military base in Texas that left at least 13 people dead.  The suspect in the shooting is an Army psychiatrist who treated soldiers at Fort Hood for post-traumatic stress disorder.

In a statement, the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said:

"We condemn this cowardly attack in the strongest terms possible and ask that the perpetrators be punished to the full extent of the law. No religious or political ideology could ever justify or excuse such wanton and indiscriminate violence. The attack was particularly heinous in that it targeted the all-volunteer army that protects our nation. American Muslims stand with our fellow citizens in offering both prayers for the victims and sincere condolences to the families of those killed or injured."

In a Thursday evening press conference on Capital Hill, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad reiterated this condemnation and added:

"The motive of the attacker is not yet known. We urge all Americans to remain calm in reaction to this tragic event and to demonstrate once again what is best about America - our nation's ability to remain unified even in times of crisis. We urge national political and religious leaders and media professionals to set a tone of calm and unity.

"Unfortunately, based on past experience, we also urge American Muslims, and those who may be perceived to be Muslim, to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves, their families and their religious institutions from possible backlash."

The annual pilgrimage (Hajj) is one of the five "pillars" of the Islamic faith. All those who are physically and financially able are required to make this journey to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. The 2009 pilgrimage season approaches amidst some confusion about swine flu vaccination requirements, travel bans, and other concerns. Nevertheless, nearly 3 million pilgrims are expected to arrive in Mecca during the coming weeks.

More:

• The Hajj in Pictures - Day by Day
• 2009 Hajj Dates

A friend of mine was in a discussion recently about Islamic marriage customs.  One well-meaning but ignorant question was asked:  "How much did your husband pay for you?"  She set the record straight: a bride is not someone who can be bought and sold.  The required mahr is a gift that the husband gives to his new bride, not to her family, in order for her to have financial independence and stability in the marriage.

Read More:

Islamic Marriage Contract

Islamic Weddings

The colorful costumes and candy are in the shops, enticing children into the Halloween excitement. Do Muslims celebrate Halloween? How is Halloween perceived in Islam? To make an informed decision, we need to understand the history and traditions of this festival.

Photo by Rick Gershon / Getty Images: A Halloween parade in New York City features images of death and the supernatural.

A new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life reveals that one in four human beings is a Muslim. The report, "Mapping the Global Muslim Population," finds that there are 1.57 billion Muslims among the current world's population of 6.8 billion.

As a CNN report on the survey summarizes, Indonesia and Pakistan remain the most populous Muslim countries. Surprisingly, researchers found that non-Muslim countries such as Russia, China, and India round out a list of countries with the largest Muslim populations. Only 1/5 of Muslims live in the Middle East and North Africa.

More:

• Where do Muslims live?
• Aren't Muslims mostly Arabs?
• Introduction to Islam

The Sydney Morning Herald and other news organizations report that Tunisia has become the first country to ban its citizens from attending the 2009 Hajj.  Tunisian authorities announced that the ban is intended to "preserve human life," since an H1N1/swine flu vaccine will not be available in that country in time to vaccinate pilgrims.  Ten thousand pilgrims from Tunisia usually travel for Hajj each year.

In the meantime, schools in Saudi Arabia will begin opening for the 2009-10 school year in the coming two weeks.  Officials had delayed the start of school in order to give time for teachers to be trained on flu prevention techniques, and as a preventative measure against the spread of the flu among children returning from summer and Ramadan travel.

Do you think the fear of swine flu is overblown, or do you think that these precautions (and maybe more) are necessary?

Last month, the U.S. Postal Service re-issued its "Eid" stamp in a new 44-cent version.  The stamp, part of the USPS "Holiday" series, was originally released in the summer of 2001.  Although the stamp has existed for over eight years, the most recent release has sparked email rumors and calls for a boycott against this "Muslim" stamp.  Critics claim that honoring an Islamic holiday is a "slap in the face" to Americans who have died in terrorist attacks.

The government of Saudi Arabia has recently announced new health guidelines for those attending this year's Hajj.  In an effort to prevent an outbreak of H1N1 and other illnesses, vaccination requirements have changed and certain groups will be restricted from attending the pilgrimage this year.

Read More:

New Hajj Health Guidelines

In most of the world, it has been announced that the first day of Eid Al-Fitr will certainly be on Sunday.  A few locations will fast through Sunday and begin Eid on Monday.  Please check with the mosques in your area to be certain.

As you go off to visit friends and relatives during the holiday, please try to include those who are alone and make them feel welcome.  Reflect on the reasons for fasting, and how we can keep our devotion constant throughout the year.  Brother Wa'il Shihab offers these additional tips on keeping the Ramadan spirit alive after the holy month is over.

Eid Mubarak!

Last year, I blogged about the issue of child marriage in some countries, and outlined my reasons for condemning the practice from an Islamic perspective.

Unfortunately, children continue to be married off in countries such as Yemen, where CNN reports today that a 12-year-old girl has died in childbirth after an agonizing 3-day labor.  Last year, young Fawziya was pulled out of school and married to a man twice her age.  It is heartbreaking that a girl so young should die in such a tragic manner.

Islamic organizations around the world have condemned child marriage as unhealthy both physically and psychologically for young girls.  The Seyaj Organization for Childhood Protection, the Yemeni organization that originally reported on Fawziya's death, issued a statement in February supporting a minimum age law under proposal in that country.  Unfortunately, that proposal was stalled in Parliament and never passed.

Several other Islamic governments decline to legislate a minimum age for marriage, as there is no age limit specified in Islamic shari'ah.  This seems only an excuse for ignoring an important childhood health and safety issue.