a traditional prom queen. She had never gone to a high school party. This was her last chance to go to a prom, and many of her friends were going, without dates, so Shalabi bought her ticket. The prom queen is usually the school’s most popular girl: the cheerleaders, the student government officials and those who go to the parties. Anwer Hasan, board member of the Howard County Muslim Council (HCMC) and United Maryland Muslim Council (UCMC), was named among the Daily Record newspaper’s 51 Influential Marylanders for 2105. A senior corporate executive, Hasan volunteers his time to improve education for college students across the state, to defuse tension and increase communications between Muslims and the local communities. As chairman of the Maryland Higher Education Commission, which he joined eight years ago, Hasan is focused on making
colleges affordable and accessible by working with the state and the private sector to develop loan-assistance programs to reduce debt for the state’s college graduates. Hasan formed HCMC shortly after 9/11 to increase Muslim involvement in the community. He then went on to help develop similar councils in seven more Maryland counties and one at the state level, the UCMC. The newspaper created “Influential Marylanders” in 2006 to honor people who have made significant impacts in their field and continue to be leaders in Maryland. The Muneeba Centre, which offers support programs and respite services for people with disabilities, was officially opened May 14 in Mississauga, Ontario. In attendance were community leaders and members as well as, including Ontario’s Finance Minister Charles Sousa, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie and provincial lawmaker Svend Spengemann and other political representatives The center is operated by the nonprofit
DEEN Support Services. After running a successful Sunday Activity Night Program for over 4 years, the organization has now acquired its first home in the Greater Toronto Area. It will expand to provide additional programs, as requested. DEEN is operated by a diverse group of individuals with disabilities, family members and allies. Founder Rabia Khedr said, “DEEN, which stands for Disability Empowerment Equality Network, will fill a gap in the lives of many. We intend to provide individuals and their caregivers a flexible and affordable program that responds to their diverse cultural and spiritual needs and life skills goals.”
Northern Wisconsin Mosque Celebrates Landmark BY SAHAR TAMAN
Barron). In 2010, its Board established the n May 15th, the Islamic Society region’s only Islamic cemetery. of Northern Wisconsin (ISNW) Jennifer Templin, a 25th anniversary comcelebrated its 25th anniversary. mittee member and recent Eau Claire arrival, Some 150 people Muslims and members said, “Our vision for this Open House and of the larger Chippewa Valley community picnic was not only to reach out to the friends attended. and neighbors with whom the Board and ISNW was incorporated in 1991, when Dr. Taman had worked tirelessly to build several Muslims funded the purchase of a disused Altoona church. Psychiatrist Mahmoud Shawky Taman, a member of the area’s first Muslim family, which arrived in 1973, died about one week before this open house. He had led the effort to transform it into a mosque. The mosque serves about 65 Muslim families in Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Altoona, Menomonie and other smaller towns. About 200,000 live in Chippewa Valley. It also supports the larger community Nazish, an active fundraiser, got her friend Grace to via its robust outreach program, which help put up the celebration decorations. includes an open invitation for all people to observe the Friday prayer and learn about relationships over the years, but also to honor Islam and Muslims. Over the years it has Dr. Taman and the other founding members formed ties with area churches, Eau Claire’s of the Islamic Society of Northern Wisconsin. synagogue, schools, charities, the police, local It’s truly a blessing to have our own house of government and civic and political groups. worship in this area...” In addition, it provided funds for Eau Claire’s Suzie Slota, a member of Eau Claire’s first homeless shelter, the Sojourner House, University Lutheran Church, said that she has also mentored Muslim communities (e.g., “came because I believe it is important for all
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ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2016
of us in the community to make connections and find our common ground.” JoAnn Klink and her husband Joel, a retired University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire professor of chemistry, who are members of that city’s First Congregational United Church of Christ, hosted an international Muslim congregation in 2009 through ISNW. JoAnn said, “I came because I believe that community is one of the most important values that we have as human beings and I am really very grateful to the Muslims for reaching out and for continuing to do so.“ Mohammad Alasagheirin, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and many other Muslims are deeply involved in building interfaith dialogue. He is a new member of the Trialogue, a group of local clerics and interfaith advocates who have often met in the mosque over the last 23 years. Over the years, many community elders have served as imams. In 2013, American-born Tamer Abdelaziz, who was trained in American Islamic seminaries, came on board as a part-time imam for the Juma prayer. He commutes 90 miles from Minneapolis. Sahar Taman mentors youth around the world through her work on the Kennedy-Lugar YES Program.
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