Militant Islam Monitor > Satire > Former Imam of terror linked Islamic Center of Boca Raton hosts Open House at the Islamic Center of Des Moines Former Imam of terror linked Islamic Center of Boca Raton hosts Open House at the Islamic Center of Des MoinesJuly 9, 2005 MIM: New Jihadi on the block Ibrahim Dremali has wasted no time in setting up a new Islamic school and welcoming the neighborhood infidels to an open house in order to recruit new converts. Given the fact that one of the congregants of his former mosque Dr. Rafiq Sabir, was just arrested for swearing alligiance to Al Qaeda, one wonders how many people will show up, and if the religion affairs editor of the Des Moines Register,a supporter of Dremali, will cover the event. One of the speakers was the former Vice President of the Islamic Center Ako Abdul -Samad, who is a member of the Iowa school board. Ako crowed about how after 9/11when people started hearing that Islam was a religion of peace, they liked what they heard "and started converting right and left". (see bio below) One blogger commented: "...Hey, farmers, students, good people of Des Moines, aren't you curious about this new religion? Man, how interesting? Huh?..." http://www.perspectives.com/forums/forum70/41085.html http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050708/NEWS08/507080354/1010 The Islamic Center of Des Moines, 6201 Franklin Ave., is holding an open house from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. ------------------------------------------------------- MIM: This article is an account of the event yesterday. Note that the two sisters (nuns) are wearing what appears to be a white hijab with their habit. http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050710/LIFE05/507100333/1039/LIFE Published July 10, 2005
Islamic Center holds 'ice-breaker' An open house at the Des Moines facility aims to dispel myths about Islam and the Muslim people. By
CLARK KAUFFMAN CLARK KAUFFMAN Last week, while preparing for Saturday's open house at the Islamic Center of Des Moines, one of the Muslim organizers received a disturbing phone call. Saturday's open house was intended to help "break the ice between Muslims and non-Muslims," Dremali said. About 70 people attended a morning presentation at which Dremali and a panel of guest speakers sought to dispel some of the more common myths associated with Islam. Ako Abdul-Samad, a Muslim imam who serves on the Des Moines school board, said that locally the terrorist attacks of September 2001 resulted in non-Muslims actively seeking out information on the Islamic faith. Abdul-Samad said the process should start in schools with comparative religion classes that don't seek to "convert" children but to educate them. And adults, he said, need to openly discuss their differences rather than focus on similarities in the spirit of group unity. Dremali is optimistic that education will erase some of the misunderstandings that exist between Muslims and non-Muslims. The man who called the center Friday about the London bomb attacks stayed on the phone and listened as it was explained to him that Muslims are opposed to such violence. MIM: Even before yesterday's 'ice breaker' the Da'wa efforts at the Islamic Center of Des Moines efforts to bring Islam to Iowa did not go unnoticed by this on this blog which asks, hey farmers, students, good people of Des Moines, aren't you curious about this new religion? Man how interesting ? Huh? Former ICDM vice president Ako Abdul - Samad crowed that "After 9/11 when people saw that we were a religion of peace-we started getting converts right and left". http://www.perspectives.com/forums/forum70/41085.html Islam Growing in Central Iowa Des Moines - Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the United States. Here in Iowa, it seems to be no different, and there are few reasons why so many Iowans are connecting with this faith. A Christian town? We have "Christian towns" now? ------------------------------------------ Former Imam of the Islamic Center of Des Moines http://www.dmps.k12.ia.us/schoolboard/1abdul-samad.htm Info on the speakers:
1429-12th Street Ako Abdul-Samad is the founder and CEO of Creative Visions Human Development Center. He has served as Vice President of the Islamic Center of Des Moines, Coordinator for Urban Dreams, and as a counselor in the Iowa prison system. Abdul-Samad has lectured and counseled internationally on community development, service to at-risk youth, and substance abuse prevention and crisis intervention. He has received numerous awards for his work with community and youth, including the Citizen Diplomat Award from the Iowa Council for International Understanding, the Community Service Award for Outstanding Service from the NAACP, and the SBA Martin Luther King Jr. Community Vision Award for Exemplary Community Service from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Abdul-Samad is a member of the board of directors of the National Conference for Community and Justice, Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium, Directors Counsel of Des Moines, African American Leadership Coalition, Senator Charles Grassley's "Face It Together", Concerned Citizens for Justice and Bridges of Iowa. He is a graduate of Des Moines Technical High School. Member Since: 2003 |