On Moon Sighting + A Recent Message from Imam Musa

Firstly, As-Sabiqun would like to wish all of our members, workers, friends, supporters, and well-wishers a RAMADAN MUBARAK! May Allah's (swt) mercy, forgiveness, and grace be showered upon you during this blessed month and always. May He help you gain mastery over yourselves, build your taqwa, and grant you salvation from the Fire. We have started our fasting today based on several moon sightings which were confirmed on Wednesday evening. For those who are in the DC area, we would like to invite you and your family and friends to our nightly iftars and Tarawih prayers at Masjid Al-Islam / 4603 Benning Road SE / Washington, DC 20019. We would be delighted to have you share in the spirit of togetherness and taqwa!

Every year, confusion erupts over the correct start of Ramadan. A segment of our community bases their start on any international sighting of the new crescent moon; another segment bases it strictly on what the Saudi "authorities" decide; others base it on a regional sighting; and there are still others who start Ramadan based on calculation, regardless of moon-sighting (as is the case with ISNA and the Fiqh Council of North America). Here at Masjid Al-Islam, and As-Sabiqun in general, we start our Ramadan based on a reliable, confirmed regional sighting. As a note, this normally coincides with the majority of global sightings.

Sighting the moon has been the traditional approach of Muslims since the time of the Holy Prophet (saw). We do not intend to abandon this Sunnah, as unfortunately many Islamic organizations, centers, and masjids have.

For more on moon-sighting, check out the the following links: Crescentwatch.org or Moonsighting.com (although Moonsighting.com seems to accept the calculation approach, if you scroll down to the bottom of the linked page, you can still get an idea of actual confirmed sightings around the world).

Click here to read one of our old newsletters regarding the purpose and nature of fasting in Ramadan, as well as its connection to the Islamic movement.

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Last weekend, on the eve of this blessed month, Muslim youth in the DC area organized the DC Hidayah Conference, which was held at the DC Convention Center. Though he was not asked to speak (despite the conference's title and "local flavor"), Imam Musa made use of the occasion by compiling a friendly message of solidarity which was to be handed out to the conference attendees. You can click on the flier or read the text below:

MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY
to
DC HIDAYAH CONFERENCE ATTENDEES

“And Allah doth advance in guidance those who seek Guidance: and the things that endure, Good Deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best in respect of (their) eventual returns.” (19:76)

“At this time, as Muslims, we must play a role in the Earth liberation movement which aims to free the Earth from the parasitical behavior of man; establish a non-predatory system of interconnected global harmony; nurture and further a culture of 'Earth-first' custodianship; understand and respect the rights of the Earth, which should be treated as a living organism (which it is); and envision and actualize a global redesign for the 21st century.”

–Imam Abdul Alim Musa, As-Sabiqun Newsletter, June 2010

This is a message of solidarity to attendees of the DC Hidayah Conference from Masjid Al-Islam in Southeast Washington, DC.

As we continue in a great quest to build a new world, with all of its possibilities, the world’s enlightened people are coming closer to their true mission of fair custodianship (khilafah) and administration of the Earth and its resources in a way that will keep it healthy and wholesome, as Allah (swt) created it.

In the meantime, there is a one-eyed monster which is determined to maintain a world of oil spills, global warming, war, and incessant aggression. It has created and sustained a wave of Islamophobia (a persistent illogical or abnormal fear of Islam tailored by Western media on behalf of the CIA, FBI, Mossad, RAW, etc.) in order to justify and continue its global war on Islam. It has also kept up a steady dose of psychoterrorism, a phenomenon whereby the peoples of the world—including Muslims—are subjected to a constant diet of “terror” and “terrorism” via TV, websites, movies, books, and other media, to such a degree that they begin to make an automatic psychological association between the beautiful Deen of Islam on the one hand, and barbaric violence on the other. This process is also known as perception management. By it, Islam is made to seem like a religion of fanatics and suicide bombers, and the peace-loving Muslims of Iraq and Afghanistan are made out to be warmongers. Once this image is established in the public mind, it becomes easy to justify the invasion and brutal murder of innocent Muslims across the globe. It becomes easy to keep the Muslims here frozen in a defensive posture. All of this is built on a false image—not reality. This process, in turn, portrays the true villains—the RAW, CIA, FBI, Mossad, etc.—as heroes fighting for the “greater good.”

Inside the U.S., our movement has steadily carried on a successful campaign of psychological guerilla warfare. We have organized demonstrations for the last 30 years, in which we have spoken out on behalf of Islamic causes around the world, including human and animal rights. We have no fear of the FBI, Mossad, or any other Nazi-type of governmental organization. We have withstood every imaginable fitnah—from sabotage, infiltrators, agent provocateurs… to unexplainable huge fines, radical tax increases on our properties, and continuous “accidental” destruction and diversion of our assets, both human and material. Yet, we are still here, ready to serve.

We want to rise to a level necessary to combat the evil forces at work. The Islamic Institute for Counter Zionist American Psychological Warfare needs your monetary help. There is a global war against us and we must rise to the occasion. The level of sophistication needed is beyond our present capacity. Help us with as big a contribution as your vision and faith can stand. You can send a check or money order to: Masjid Al-Islam / 4603 Benning Road SE / Washington, DC 20019.

As a movement, we have survived over 30 years of maximum U.S.-Israeli fitnah. This has never happened in U.S. history! Check the record. Google “Abdul Alim Musa” and it will give you an idea. We thank Allah (swt) in advance for your contribution.

Website: www.sabiqun.org / E-mail: imammusa2009@hotmail.com /
Call: 202.904.1152

This message is sponsored by:
Masjid Al-Islam & the As-Sabiqun movement / 4603 Benning Road SE / Washington, DC 20019
The Islamic Institute for Counter Zionist American Psychological Warfare / Earth Liberation Front / Earth Rights Movement / 5021 A Street SE / Washington, DC 20019