Source: WLNS

http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=5513506

Two mid-Michigan religious groups are using their differences to understand each other. Muslims and Christians from neighboring congregations gathered to help break down some religious barriers.

It's a narrow strip of land that separates two faith communities- the Islamic Center of Lansing on one side and University Lutheran Church on the other, but instead of dividing the two congregations, the piece of...

Source: International Herald Tribune

Wire Service: AP

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/09/america/NA_GEN_US_Peace_Dorm.php

About a dozen women students, including a handful of Muslims and Jews, are living together at Rutgers University as they work toward ideals that have seemed out of reach for years in the Middle East: peace and understanding.

Rutgers was to hold a dedication ceremony Monday evening for...

Author: Dilshad D. Ali and Holly Lebowitz Rossi

Source: Newsweek

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15079909/site/newsweek/

The Roman Catholic peace group Pax Christi USA has decided to fast, but it's not waiting for Lent. After Pope Benedict XVI quoted a Byzantine emperor's statement that Islam is "evil and inhuman," the group said that, to soothe tensions, thousands of its members are fasting for Ramadan. (For the 30 days of the Islamic holy month,...

Author: JENNIFER MALONEY

Source: Newsday

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-liserv094925759oct09,0,7173424.story

Local religious leaders spoke out in support of the Islamic Center of Long Island at an interfaith celebration at the Westbury mosque, which Rep. Peter King has alleged is run by extremists.

"We will not be fooled by fearmongering and appeals to bigotry," the Rev. Mark Lukens, pastor...

Author: Catherine Donaldson-Evans

Source: Fox News

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,219864,00.html

For Muslims wanting their fast food, soda and dolls infused with a little Islamic flair, Beurger King Muslim, Mecca-Cola and Fulla might be just the ticket.

American pop culture icons such as Burger King, Coca-Cola and Barbie dolls have traditionally done well around the world, including in predominantly Muslim countries. But in recent years...

Source: International Herald Tribune

Wire Service: AP

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/08/europe/EU_GEN_Denmark_Prophet_Drawings.php

Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Sunday condemned the youth wing of an anti-immigrant party for mocking the Prophet Muhammad during a summer camp meeting earlier this year.

"I strongly condemn the behavior of members of the youth wing of the Danish People's...

Author: Faiza Elmasry

Source: Voice of America

http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2006-10-07-voa32.cfm

Minnesota is home to thousands of Muslims from around the world. Like other immigrants, they have worked hard to establish themselves and support their families. But, since 9/11, the state's Muslims have become more concerned about presenting the real image of their faith and getting involved in their local communities.
...

Author: John Colson

Source: Aspen Times Weekly

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20061007/ASPENWEEKLY/110080065

As tensions rise between the Islamic and non-Islamic countries of the world, fed largely by an ever-growing fear and hatred of the United States among some international Muslims, a past mayor of Aspen continues to do what he can to defuse the situation.

Former Mayor John Bennett admitted this week that a recent high-...

Author: Rebecca U. Cho

Source: The Washington Post

Wire Service: RNS

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/06/AR2006100601282.html

To the millions of Indonesian youths who sell out his concerts, Ahmad Dhani is a superstar who has commanded the nation's rock scene for more than a decade.

But the charismatic leader of Dewa, one of Indonesia's top bands,...

Author: MICHELE MORGAN BOLTON

Source: Times Union

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=523147

For nine years, Abdus Samad N. Haqq wore a kufi, a traditional Islamic religious head covering, along with his uniform as a state correction officer in Harlem.

On May 8, 2005, his supervisor ordered him to remove it.

Haqq, 53, who was born in Brooklyn and converted to Islam in the 1980s, complied with the request...

Author: Omar Sacirbey

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1006/p03s01-ussc.html

Aaliyah Turner used to light up the scoreboards for the Emmanuel College women's basketball team - even while observing the Islamic month of Ramadan. She would go all day without food and water until half time, when the sun set. So during this year's observance, playing a pickup game of basketball with a youth team organized through her...

Author: Clem Richardson

Source: New York Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/story/458835p-386074c.html

Robina Niaz, founder of the Turning Point for Women and Families, a Jamaica, Queens group dedicated to empowering Muslim women and children, says a single statistic shows one thing women of all faiths have in common.

Every nine seconds, a woman is the victim of domestic violence in this country.

"When...

Author: Charles A. Radin

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/10/06/group_opposed_to_roxbury_mosque_sues_bra_for_documents/

The David Project, a non profit Jewish advocacy organization, yesterday charged in Suffolk Superior Court that the Boston Redevelopment Authority is withholding public records related to the authority's sale of land to the Islamic Society...

Author: H.G. Reza

Source: Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-aclu6oct06,1,5190346.story

Seven Muslims who have been waiting years to become U.S. citizens were notified Thursday that their applications had been approved, two months after they joined a lawsuit accusing immigration officials of illegally delaying background checks and allowing applications to linger indefinitely....

Source: The Arab American News

http://www.arabamericannews.com/newsarticle.php?articleid=6495

Ford Motor Company hosted its 6th annual Ramadan fast breaking Wednesday, an event attended by around 150 Muslim and non-Muslim guests.

The evening program took place in the Ford Credit building's cafeteria and was themed, "Ramadan: The Month of Forgiveness and Reconciliation."

Speakers included Mike Bannister, CEO of Ford Credit; Paul Nussbaum,...