Sunday, July 26, 2009

"Support Our School" Fundraiser feat. Br. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

"For those who give in Charity, men and women,
and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward."
(57:18)

SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL!
A Fundraiser for Masjid Al-Islam’s
Group Home-Schooling Cooperative

Saturday, August 15, 2009
5:00 – 7:00 pm

Featuring:

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

(World-Renown Basketball Player)


Imam Abdul Alim Musa

(Amir, As-Sabiqun)


MASJID AL-ISLAM
4603 Benning Road SE
Washington, DC 20019

About br. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf:

After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played with Denver until 1995, and was a key player on that team, winning the Most Improved Player award in 1993. He later went on to play for the Sacramento Kings and the Vancouver Grizzlies. Overcoming the challenge of Tourette syndrome to have an athletic career, he led the league in free throw percentage in 1994 and 1996, narrowly missing (by one missed free throw) the NBA all-time record for free-throw percentage in a single season in 1993-94. After leaving the NBA, he has continued to play professional basketball around the world.

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is perhaps best known for the controversy created when he refused to stand for "The Star-Spangled Banner" before games, stating that the flag was a "symbol of oppression" and that the United States had a long "history of tyranny". He said that standing to the national anthem would therefore conflict with his Islamic beliefs. On March 12, 1996, the NBA suspended Abdul-Rauf for his refusal to stand, but the suspension lasted only one game. Two days later, the league was able to work out a compromise with him, whereby he would stand during the playing of the national anthem but could close his eyes, look downward, and silently recite an Islamic prayer instead.

*For those of you who would like to know more about Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf--beyond these two brief paragraphs--I highly encourage you to check out this article and please read it to its end. He is not just a "Muslim basketball player"--his story is one of sacrifice and commitment to deeply-rooted principles.

If you'd like to see some of his moves on the court:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Another brief video:

By the Dawn's Early Light

***

Oh, and here's a brief clip of Imam Musa speaking at the Malcolm X event in Dallas, TX from a little more than a week ago. Thanks for the tip, br. Yusuf!



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