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Militant Islam Monitor > Articles > CAIR helps host NJ officials - Governor Corzine, Senator Menendez -State Attorney General Rabner-Rep Pascell at American Muslim Union event

CAIR helps host NJ officials - Governor Corzine, Senator Menendez -State Attorney General Rabner-Rep Pascell at American Muslim Union event

May 6, 2007

Introducing Menendez was Salah Mustafa of Clifton, a leader of the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, a national group some Jewish groups say does not unequivocally condemn Palestinian terror organizations. "We know the goodness of this person," said Mustafa. "We continued in reaching out to him, and he reached back. He is going to be a fighter for our community as he is with all other communities. We should be proud that we have a minority senator, as we are minorities." Praising the AMU for all of its "positive contributions," Menendez said that "I take my oath of office very seriously. It is to protect the Constitution and to preserve, protect, and defend each and every citizen of the state of New Jersey. You have my hand in friendship and the power of my office to make sure that happens."

Corzine, Menendez reach out to state's Muslims at annual event
Sen. Robert Menendez, Attorney General Stuart Rabner, and
Gov. Jon Corzine listen from the dais as Rabbi Steven Sirbu
delivers a "prayer for peace" at the American Muslim
Union's annual brunch in Teaneck March 11.
Photos by Robert Wiener

http://www.njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/031507/njCorzineMenendezReachOut.html

by Robert Wiener
NJJN Staff Writer
03.15.07 Related Articles:
Jewish organizations allege troubling ties among Muslim groups
Pascrell takes heat for invite to Islamic group Four of New Jersey's top officials paid tribute to the state's Islamic community March 11, at an event that demonstrated the political minefield politicians face as they balance the concerns of constituencies at odds over the Middle East. New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, State Attorney General Stuart Rabner, and Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Dist. 8), Democrats all, were the guests of honor at the American Muslim Union's annual brunch. The brunch, held at the Glenpointe Marriott Hotel in Teaneck, was sponsored by 14 Islamic educational and religious groups in northern and central New Jersey. Rabner spoke to the 500-person audience of Muslims, Christians, and a scattering of Jews in the language of community outreach, saying he was "particularly pleased to be at an event that brings together the diverse threads that is the fabric of New Jersey. Today's theme of peace, liberty, and justice for all resonates with each of us here today."

And yet some Jewish watchdog agencies allege that groups affiliated with AMU have not taken strong enough stands against terrorist groups such as Hizbullah and Hamas, that some AMU sponsors helped raise money for since-outlawed charities that provided aid to terrorist organizations, and that the AMU has staged rallies with strong anti-Israel rhetoric. (See separate story, page 12.)

Corzine and Rabner addressed these concerns in interviews with a NJ Jewish News reporter as they sat on the dais before the start of the program. "If people misinterpret our support of the Muslim community in America, which contributes — just as the Jewish community contributes, just as the Irish community contributes — then I might be concerned, but I'm not," Corzine told NJJN. "The vast majority of people who live in America and contribute here are part of the positive part of our life and we want to celebrate our diversity and celebrate our pluralism." Rabner said that he and Corzine "are here to speak at a community brunch and talk about our needs of coming together to address bias issues." That call was seconded by Rabbi Steven Sirbu of Temple Emeth in Teaneck, who delivered a prayer for peace on behalf "of my people, the people of Israel, and all who inhabit this earth."

Imam Hamad Chebli of the Islamic Society of Central Jersey in South Brunswick followed Sirbu at the podium. "I will add to what the rabbi said. The common heritage between Muslim and Jew is the same level as we have with our brother, the Christian, because for us we do not discriminate with any human being," said the imam. Introducing Menendez was Salah Mustafa of Clifton, a leader of the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, a national group some Jewish groups say does not unequivocally condemn Palestinian terror organizations. "We know the goodness of this person," said Mustafa. "We continued in reaching out to him, and he reached back. He is going to be a fighter for our community as he is with all other communities. We should be proud that we have a minority senator, as we are minorities." Praising the AMU for all of its "positive contributions," Menendez said that "I take my oath of office very seriously. It is to protect the Constitution and to preserve, protect, and defend each and every citizen of the state of New Jersey. You have my hand in friendship and the power of my office to make sure that happens."

Corzine, Menendez, and Pascrell are generally considered by pro-Israel groups to be supportive of Israel. Rabner is active at Congregation Agudath Israel of West Essex in Caldwell. The fieriest rhetoric of the day came from Pascrell, whose home base of Paterson includes a sizable Muslim and Arab population and who often finds himself caught in the crosshairs of the clash between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian communities. (See related story, page 12.) After receiving AMU's Community Service Award, Pascrell promised to "say some things I have not said before. I don't say things to please people. I mean, I'm 70 years old and I don't have to please anybody anymore." Pascrell seemed to urge his listeners to get beyond the tensions of the Middle East. "Some of us are living still in the Middle East, and I mean that across the horizon," he said. "While we shall never forget where we came from and respect our elders and our heritage, we must make our bed here in the United States of America." Returning to that point, he said, "We must make it clear to everybody that in the Middle East, where many of the leaders of these countries like to target the United States, like to target Israel, because it takes the attention away from the problems of their own countries where people are poor and hungry. We should be able to say to those leaders ‘take care of the business in your own place."

Pascrell also addressed Muslim and Arab concerns that their civil liberties are being curtailed in the wake of 9/11. "When we reach beyond the law to uphold the law, we do not hold the law in respect," he said. "When we reach beyond the law to uphold the law, we in fact minimize the law. The government does not have the right to subvert our freedoms in order to protect those freedoms." He criticized the "profiling" of Muslim-Americans by law enforcement officials. "I am convinced that the great majority of the Muslim community in the United States loves America, loves our country, and are willing to defend that country," he declared. "It has become clear to me that the true faith of Islam is one of deep and mutual understanding. Muslim-Americans, whether they are from the Middle East or Asia or anyplace else, are finally starting to move to the forefront, where they belong." He also referred to a trip he made to the Middle East in 1998, which included stops in Israel and to Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah. "When I went in the 1990s to Israel and Palestine I had the luxury of being criticized by both sides," he said. "I didn't condemn the settlements and I insisted upon seeing Mr. Arafat." Pascrell said he told the Palestinian leader "respectfully" that "the world should come here freely to absorb, to be one, to pray with you, not worrying which house will have a sniper in the top floor."

Pascrell also declared that he was "disturbed" by New Yorker writer Seymour Hersh's recent report that the Bush administration is funding violent Sunni groups to stem the growth of Shi'ite influence in the Middle East. Pascrell said that "one terrorist group is not better than another terrorist group. We must stop terrorism regardless of where is exists in this world. There can be no excuses for it." He called on Muslims to be an active force for peace. "What message would this send across the world if the Muslim community said, ‘We are going to reach out to our brothers as sisters and we want to bring about a force for peace in this world? There has been enough killing. We want to be at the cutting edge of this peaceful movement." With voice rising in intensity, the congressman said, "That would be a powerful force. It would be a force in Egypt. It would be a force in Palestine. It would be a voice in Israel, whether we like it or not."

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MIM:Muslim Leadership is the new facade for da'wa and is a key strategy being increasingly used by legal Islamists.

The Muslim Leadership Institute an initiative of the American Muslim Union recently held their "Second Annual Moderation conference conference".

The conference inclused radical Islamists like Barzanji,Alshareef,Awad and others.

The Muslim leadership" tactic is part of a very alarming trend. The Muslim American Society has held Muslim leadership forums for years.

The Muslim Public Affairs Counsel has a leadership training program dedicated to grooming and placing Muslims as Congressional staffers and volunteer initiatives such as CAIR's "Muslims CARE" is also trying to place Muslims inside civic and social organisations under the guise of "civic engagement" aka legal Islamism.

The New York based American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA) held a Saudi funded conference in Denmark in 2006 aimed at promoting and creating "Muslim Leaders of Tommorrow" .

See : ASMA: American Society for the Advancement of Muslims- faux moderates promoting Islamisation by "Muslim Leaders of Tommorrow"http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2860

Islamist da'wa groups are also convening radical Islamist conferences like the one in New Jersey which called itself a Conference on Moderation . Groups like the AMU aim to promote implement shari'a by packaging it in Western terminology and promoting the lie that the origin of every Western institution and idea comes from Islam.Another component of this strategy is to demand special privileges for Muslims by presenting themselves as victims of discrimination who are struggling to advance themselves as a means of obtaining funding and assistance from state and federal agencies and officials.The Muslim Leadership Institute introduction below is a template for Islamist entitlement and shows how legal Islamist and Muslim leadership is being used to teach Muslims how to promote Islamism by participation in political public and civic life i.e. membership in PTA's, political groups,volunteerism and community service are seen as opportunities for introducing non Muslims to Islam.

These excerpts from the Muslim Leadership Institute outline of their aims and vision show their fundamentalist agenda.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is our role model. His leadership is unsurpassed over the history of mankind.

Today, 1.5 Billions are cheerful followers of him. In leadership surveys, Honesty comes as number one quality of Leadership. Who has the title of the Honest, before and after Islam?

Leadership can be developed in anyone with genuine desire. It might be a long process, but results are guaranteed, Allah willing.

The MLI has collected and compiled almost all possible information on the subject of Leadership. We have adopted concepts that are only adhering to the Islamic principles. We have developed a set of systematic courses that are proven to help Muslims advance their leadership qualities.

Every Muslim is a leader, or can become a leader. We believe everyone can develop leadership qualities. People are born with almost equal capabilities. Those who are keen to develop certain qualities will succeed, Allah willing, with education, guidance and practice.
Leadership is the most needed quality for Muslims at this time in history. Only leaders can make the difference and change the Muslim community's state.
We believe the Holy Quran has an abundance of seeds and models of Leadership. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his honorable companions are role models of leader for everyone, Muslims and non-Muslims.
http://www.muslimleadership.org/en/component/option,com_datsogallery/Itemid,87/func,viewcategory/catid,4/

http://www.muslimleadership.org/en/content/view/67/91/

The American Muslim Union (AMU) held its annual Community Brunch at Glenpointe Marriott Hotel in Teanech, NJ on Sunday March 11, 2007. About 1,000 Muslim leaders, Imams, Christian and Jewish clergies, US and NJ congressmen, and elected officials have gathered in a worm environment.

The list of participants included:

NJ Governer Jon Corzine

US Senator of NJ Robert Menendez

US House Rep. of NJ Bill Pascrell Jr.

Egypt General Counsel Dr. Sherieff El-Khouly

NJ Attorney General Stuart Robner

NJ Senator John Girgenty

Dr. Mohammed Qatanani, Imam of ICPC

Rabi Steven Sibru of Temple Emeth of Teaneck

Imam Hamad Chibli of ISCJ

Most Rev. Charles McDonnell

Dennis McNerny, Bergen County Executive

Magdy Mahmoud, President of the Muslim Leadership Institute

The AMU Board of Trustees are:

Mohamed younes, President

Ali Eriknoglu

Khaled El-Shamma

Waheed Khalid

Mahmoud Hamza

Sohail Mohammed, Esq

http://www.muslimleadership.org/en/content/view/13/30/

http://www.muslimleadership.org/en/content/view/15/32/

Islamic Referenced Courses ( 2 items )
These courses are designed for Muslims only. They use Islamic references such as the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. The Muslim leaders across the history are used are role models in these courses. One goal of these courses is to regain the Muslim pride. Another goals is to revive leadership in the Muslim youth

Pictures:

http://www.muslimleadership.org/en/component/option,com_datsogallery/Itemid,87/func,viewcategory

http://www.muslimleadership.org/en/component/option,com_datsogallery/Itemid,87/func,viewcategory/catid,4/

MIM: Just as terrorist attacks are regarded as "opportunities" to proselytise to non Muslims about the "peaceful faith of Islam" so too is community service a chance to mingle with non Muslims and introduce them to Islam.

For CAIR even breast cancer awareness can be exploited for da'wa purposes. The group has even put together a special kit to help Muslims get into contact with existing groups. What better way to have people put their guard down then to be working side by side in an altruistic endeavor. More insidiously, CAIR is also working with the Big Brother and Sister mentoring programs which gives Muslims an opportunity to come into contact with troubled and vulnerable young people and grants access to a vast pool of potential converts.

The "Muslims Care" kit also offers advice to community religious
leaders about how they can promote volunteerism in local mosques and
suggests partnering with established volunteer groups such as the American
Cancer Society and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.