update

[Itrath Syed]

Salaam everyone,

Just wanted to thank you all again for the wonderful and powerful support
that you all have shown me. I can't tell you how it has made me stronger
and comforted me to know that I am not alone.

I spent the whole day campaigning and have heard from many local Muslims
about how they feel and how the leadership is feeling. What I am hearing is
that the leadership are congratulating themselves on a job well done. In
the words of one of my friends, "There is a self-congratulating murmur
palpable in our community by those in power because they have been able to
silence a source of fitnah."

I had thought my letter to them would clarify my position as well as shift
the parameters of the discussion. I am not sure that they are able to fully
engage with my argument about equality. I am not sure that I have the words
to explain it to them. Allahu alam.

I should also tell you all that when I sent my first post-Juma email to the
list I had no idea that while the offensive khutba was happening at the
local mosque, across town at the University that I attend, the MSA president
stood up after Juma and basically denounced me as well. I doubt that this
is a coincidence.

I do so apreciate the letters and calls that are being sent to the
leadership. It does make a difference, because the issue is no longer about
them gleefully silencing one woman, but now it is about them having to
defend their actions to a much broader community.

I would ask that the letters to the leadership also be sent to the editors
of the 2 local muslim newspapers. Their contact info is below. If you have
already emailed a letter to the leadership please forward it to the
newspapers. I am just concerned with the newspapers printing all the hate
mail and my parents having nothing else to read to contrast it with.

Thanks again for all your love and solidarity. It means so much to me to
not feel alone in this struggle. May my Rabb bless us all and reward each
of you for the solidarity you have shown me in this difficult time.

Itrath

Al-Ameen ***@alameen.ca

The Miracle ***@telus.net

[Itrath Syed]

Salaam everyone,

Just wanted to thank you all again for the wonderful and powerful support
that you all have shown me. I can't tell you how it has made me stronger
and comforted me to know that I am not alone.

I spent the whole day campaigning and have heard from many local Muslims
about how they feel and how the leadership is feeling. What I am hearing is
that the leadership are congratulating themselves on a job well done. In
the words of one of my friends, "There is a self-congratulating murmur
palpable in our community by those in power because they have been able to
silence a source of fitnah."

I had thought my letter to them would clarify my position as well as shift
the parameters of the discussion. I am not sure that they are able to fully
engage with my argument about equality. I am not sure that I have the words
to explain it to them. Allahu alam.

I should also tell you all that when I sent my first post-Juma email to the
list I had no idea that while the offensive khutba was happening at the
local mosque, across town at the University that I attend, the MSA president
stood up after Juma and basically denounced me as well. I doubt that this
is a coincidence.

I do so apreciate the letters and calls that are being sent to the
leadership. It does make a difference, because the issue is no longer about
them gleefully silencing one woman, but now it is about them having to
defend their actions to a much broader community.

I would ask that the letters to the leadership also be sent to the editors
of the 2 local muslim newspapers. Their contact info is below. If you have
already emailed a letter to the leadership please forward it to the
newspapers. I am just concerned with the newspapers printing all the hate
mail and my parents having nothing else to read to contrast it with.

Thanks again for all your love and solidarity. It means so much to me to
not feel alone in this struggle. May my Rabb bless us all and reward each
of you for the solidarity you have shown me in this difficult time.

Itrath

Al-Ameen ***@alameen.ca

The Miracle ***@telus.net

[frawthydog]

As Salaam U Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu,

I am sorry and ashamed to hear about your experience seestur. Inshallah, I will make dua, for you, your family, and your community. I dont know how the safe the situation is for you, but if possible I would encourage you to not be intimidated by the pious thugs and if safe, to continue to particiapate in the masjid and the community. I also will make dua for your campaign.

Ma'Salaam
fahd


---------------------------------
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[Jeanette Jouili]

Salaam dear Itrath,
actually I am not very surprised about what happened
to you, unfortunatly, this is Muslim reality, even in
the West. But it is you who really astonish me, your
courage, your strength to speak out. People like you
make me believe that there is a chance for Islam to
get out one day of the pityful state where we are in
right now: A religion whose only pride is to have a
better sexual moral (even if this is a myth) than the
rest of the world...
I am so proud of you and people like you make me proud
being a muslim. Good Job, continue it, I wish you all
the best for your campaign,
salaam Jeanette from Paris



--- frawthydog <***@yahoo.com> a écrit : > As
Salaam U Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu,

Post by frawthydog
I am sorry and ashamed to hear about your experience
seestur. Inshallah, I will make dua, for you, your
family, and your community. I dont know how the
safe the situation is for you, but if possible I
would encourage you to not be intimidated by the
pious thugs and if safe, to continue to particiapate
in the masjid and the community. I also will make
dua for your campaign.
Ma'Salaam
fahd
---------------------------------
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Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger>

_______________________________________________

Post by frawthydog
ProgressiveMuslims mailing list

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Yahoo! Mail : votre e-mail personnel et gratuit qui vous suit partout !
Créez votre Yahoo! Mail sur http://fr.benefits.yahoo.com/

Dialoguez en direct avec vos amis grâce à Yahoo! Messenger !Téléchargez Yahoo! Messenger sur http://fr.messenger.yahoo.com

[Ahmed Nassef]

Assalamu Alaykum Dear Friends,

You can participate in our WakeUp Call to mosque leaders in Vancouver urging
them to give Itrath an opportunity to speak to the community at:

http://www.muslimwakeup.com/mainarchive/000882.php

Peace,
Ahmed
-------------
Another Woman Silenced: Vancouver Imam Attacks Muslim Candidate for Canadian
Parliament

By Ahmed Nassef

When Itrath Syed entered her local mosque in Vancouver last Friday, she
expected to get a chance to let her fellow congregants know about her
campaign for the Canadian parliament representing the Delta-Richmond East
Riding south of Vancouver on behalf of the New Democratic Party (NDP).

After all, not only is Syed one of only two Muslim candidates on the ballot
in all of Canada and the sole Muslim candidate in her province, but she and
her family have been long-time supporters and members in the British
Columbia Muslim Association (BCMA), the main mosque in Vancouver.

Syed is a graduate student in Women’s Studies at the University of British
Columbia and a veteran peace and justice, civil rights and anti-violence
activist, having worked for 7 years at a battered women and children shelter
and leading her province’s anti-war efforts.

However, instead of an opportunity to address the other Muslims there, Syed
sat through a scorching sermon that charged her with “working against the
community.”

The sermon, delivered by Imam Zijad Delic, focused on the issue of same-sex
marriage. Although never mentioning her by name, Syed says that Delic
repeatedly derided “Muslims who are running for politics,” a clear reference
to her.

Those Muslims who support a “fahisha” (i.e. grave sin), Delic reportedly
continued, will never get the community’s support.

On the verge of tears, Syed stood in the mosque parking lot with a friend
after the prayers feeling humiliated and betrayed.

According to Syed, Daud Ismail, the president of the BCMA, which operates
the mosque, had promised her a chance to address community members two weeks
prior, but that was subsequently postponed until this past Friday, June 11.
Meanwhile, she was never warned that she would be the focus of a religious
sermon opposing her while not being given a chance to respond afterwards.

Although Ismail told me that he would not comment on the matter, Delic was
unapologetic. While denying that he targeted Syed in his sermon, Delic
repeatedly attacked her during a telephone interview.

“My problem is not with NDP. My problem is with her… support for [same-sex
marriage],” he told me.

In an angry, almost vengeful tone, Delic at once seemed to challenge Syed’s
faith—at one point, he went on about how she should not be called a “Muslim”
candidate—while at the same time asserting that, since Syed wears the
head-covering, she should be bound by stricter standards than non-Muslim
candidates.

Apparently in Delic’s world, the choice to don the head covering, or hijab,
gives Muslim women the added burden, one not borne by men of course, of
having to conform to Delic’s vision of true Islam.

For Delic, the gay marriage issue is so important that it justifies the
public humiliation of a highly respected human rights activist in the
Greater Vancouver community. When asked if he would give Syed a chance for a
rebuttal, he insisted that she should not be given a chance to address the
mosque attendees unless she first comes out with a statement retracting her
support of her party’s positions on same-sex union. Delic also insisted that
he has nothing to apologize for.

Many Canadian Muslims, however, don’t share Delic’s views.

“The community has every reason to be proud of Itrath Syed,” says Tarek
Fatah, co-founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress. “Her crime is that she
believes in universal human rights for all minorities, including gays and
lesbians. For this principled stand, this young observant Muslim woman is
paying the price.”

Monia Mazigh, the other Muslim running for office with the NDP in Ottawa, is
disturbed that some are making one’s position on same-sex marriage a litmus
test for a vote. Mazigh became something of a media star throughout the
country because of her courageous battle on behalf of her husband, Maher
Arar, a Canadian citizen who was detained by US authorities then handed over
to Syria, where he spent 374 days in a Syrian jail before finally being
released.

“It is very dangerous to endorse or oppose a candidate just because he
supports or opposes same sex marriage,” Mazigh said. “We should not mix
religion and politics.”

But the blurred line between religion and politics is at the core of the
issue for Imam Delic. When confronted with whether he supported the
separation of religion and state in Canada, Delic wavered. After first
responding, “No, I don’t,” he continued, “I support Canada. What can I do.
There is no choice right now.”

In the meantime, at the Vancouver mosque, where women are not allowed to
vote for any of the male mosque leaders, a Muslim woman’s voice is being
silenced.

“I am not willing to subject myself to be judged,” says Syed. “The mosque
space should belong to all Muslims, but they have this complete control over
who can speak and who can’t.”

Ahmed Nassef is editor-in-chief of MWU! He can be reached at
***@muslimwakeup.com.