For those constantly fretting about the inability of Muslims to integrate or assimilate into western culture, fret no more!

American Muslims finally have their own reality TV show – the Learning Channel’s “All-American Muslim” – focusing on the lives of five American Muslim families in Dearborn, Michigan, who are predominantly Lebanese and Shiite. The show’s premiere gave TLC huge ratings and made the show No 2 in its time period. Mainstream critics have embraced the show citing it as “intimate and informative” and a “deeply intriguing, uncharacteristically thoughtful reality series”.

The portrayal of Muslims living their daily lives is not only a welcome relief from the usual tawdry caricatures of Muslims as terrorists, extremists and taxi cab drivers, but it also helps defuse the deep-seated fears and bias that unfairly lumps 1.5 billion members of a faith in with the perverse criminal actions of a few.

The best way to view “All-American Muslim” is simply to think of it as a show about five families doing their best to be themselves. They’re just people, who happen to identify as Muslim, Arab and American. Their story isn’t the wild-eyed, paranoid fantasy that is colored by the hate-filled minds of the Islamophobia network. It isn’t the terrorist stereotype familiar to most American audiences thanks to mainstream Hollywood depictions and sensationalised news headlines.    »»» guardian.co.uk

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A proposal for a common law for Christians and Muslims on the construction of religious buildings to counter the nebulous regulations imposed by the Military Supreme Council has been presented following a recent encounter between representatives of Coptic Orthodox Church and the Islamic University Al-Azhar. According to sources in the Egyptian daily AlMasry-Alyoum, the bill will allow the Copts to regularize all those buildings being used as places of prayer, built without government permission.   »»» Egypt: Spero News

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A court in India has convicted 31 Hindus and sentenced them to life in prison for killing dozens of Muslims nearly a decade ago, in one of the country’s worst outbreaks of sectarian violence.

A group of 33 Muslims who had sought shelter in a house were burned to death after a mob set fire to a building in Gujarat state in 2002.

The incident was part of a wave of anti-Muslim rioting in which more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed.   »»» Big News Network

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Senior Muslim clerics in Libya are forming a new political party intending to rule the country on the “moderate” Islamic laws successfully used in both Turkey and Tunisia.

Dr Ali al-Sallabi, the cleric seen as the figurehead of Libya’s Islamist movement, said in an exclusive interview with the Telegraph, a provisional manifesto had already won support from some of the country’s most important political and religious leaders.

He said his movement supported basing Libya’s constitution on Sharia law, but that it would be moderate and pursue democratic politics on the model of similar parties in Turkey and Tunisia.   »»» Big New Network

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It is with a deep sense of humility, my Lord, that I pray not only for mercy on my soul but for mercy on the soul of my country. I worry about the health of our nation. Our middle class is shrinking. Wealth and power increasingly resides with the 1%, while millions suffer in poverty and millions more search hopelessly for jobs that have disappeared. Our educational system is failing, and too many Americans either cannot afford college or find themselves shackled by debt. The growing influence of money corrupts our political system and drowns out the voices of the people.   »»» altmuslim

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Slide show “Journey to Mecca” for the annual pilgrimage.

    »»» Reuters.com

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U.S. President Barack Obama congratulated Muslims all over the world on the occasion of the Eid Al-Adha celebration that marks the end of the annual “hajj” pilgrimage to Mecca.

President Obama said in a statement issued by the White House on Sunday, ‘My Wife Michelle and I extend our greetings for a happy Eid al-Adha to Muslims worldwide and congratulate those performing Hajj.

‘As Muslims celebrate this Eid, they will also commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son by distributing food to those less fortunate around the world. They join the United States and the international community in relief efforts to assist those struggling to survive in the Horn of Africa and those recovering from the devastating earthquake in Turkey’.

‘The Eid and Hajj rituals are a reminder of the shared roots of the world’s Abrahamic faiths and the powerful role that faith plays in motivating communities to serve and stand with those in need. On behalf of the American people, we extend our best wishes during this Hajj season. Eid Mubarak and Hajj Mabrouk.?   »»» hajjinformation.com

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More than 2.5 million Muslim pilgrims began on Friday the rites of the annual hajj pilgrimage, leaving the holy city of Mecca for Mount Arafat, where the prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his final hajj sermon.

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be performed at least once in a lifetime by all those who are able to make the journey, and it is a dream that can take years to come true.

Dressed in white, they flooded the streets as they headed towards Mina, around five kilometres east of the holy mosque.

The day is known as Tarwiah (Watering) Day, as pilgrims traditionally watered their animals and stocked water for their trip to Mount Arafat, some 10 kilometers further on.

Many pilgrims took buses, while others set off on foot for a village that comes to life for just five days a year.

Others were using the Mashair Railway, also known as Mecca Metro, to go to Mount Arafat and its surrounding plains where they will gather for the peak Day of Arafat on Saturday.

The Chinese-built railway will operate for the first time this year at its full capacity of 72,000 people per hour to ease congestions and prevent stampedes in which hundreds have been killed in past years.

It will replace 30,000 cars previously used, said project director Fahd Abu-Tarbush.   »»» Asharq Alawsat Newspaper

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Politicians and Muslim leaders have denounced a firebomb attack that destroyed the offices of a satirical French newspaper after it “invited” the Prophet Mohammed as its guest editor.

No one was injured in the fire at Charlie Hebdo weekly in eastern Paris, hours before the current issue hit the news-stands.

“Everything will be done to find those behind this attack,” said Interior Minister Claude Gueant.

One witness saw someone throwing two firebombs at the building and the newspaper’s director, who goes by the name Charb, said a Molotov cocktail was the cause of the fire. He blamed “radical stupid people who don’t know what Islam is,” for the apparent attack.

“I think that they are themselves unbelievers … idiots who betray their own religion,” he said.

The front-page of the weekly, subtitled “Sharia Hebdo,” a reference to Islamic law, showed a cartoon-like man with a turban, white robe and beard smiling broadly and saying, in an accompanying bubble, “100 lashes if you don’t die laughing.”

Previous depictions of the prophet have caused major disturbances in Muslim countries. Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favourable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.   »»» timesofmalta.com

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The oldest bialys and bagel store in the country is still on a roll. The sweet smell of bread will continue to waft down Coney Island Avenue, as a landmark kosher bakery in Brooklyn gets a whole new lease on life.

Coney Island Bialys and Bagels, teetered and fell in September, after Steve Ross, whose grandfather began the company 91 years ago, called it quits. In a twist of history — and, one might say, a twist of bread as well — the store has been saved by two Muslim businessmen who leased the space and started a corporation under almost the identical name. They’ll keep the kosher shop’s offerings the same, preserving its history.

“It’s the same bialys…We are using the same recipe, too,” said Peerzada Shah, who now co-owns the business with Zafaryab Ali, who worked with Ross at the bialy shop for a decade. “We want to keep the place on track,” said Shah.

The pair plans to keep the shop’s baked goods and authentic character. None of the signs have changed nor the equipment and the shop will remain kosher.   »»» Forward.com

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