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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 1979)
-»*** •r ,'4 » M Portland Observer Thursday. Septem ber 27. 1979 Page 9 American State Bank Behind the Wall "The Bank that integration built' David Craw/ortf »39830 Assistant Correspondent by Larry Baker »35021 O.S.P. Correspondent 282 2216 2737 N.E. Union EC K A N K A R by Iman Rashid Haleem Mu 'min aka Darrell Hughes »38482 Recently, in the main visiting room o f O .S .P ., members o f the W orld Community o f Al-lslam in the West, the Sunni Muslim Community, their loved ones and friends took part in the celebration o f the Post-Ramadan feast o f E id -u l-F itr. E id -u r-F itr meaning ‘ The feast o f fast breaking' is a holy and annual event for Muslims who fasted during the month o f Ramadan the world over. Ramadan is the ninth month o f the Islam ic Lunar Calendar. The meaning o f Ramadan, according to the Arabic religious dictionary, is ‘ Great Heat’ . In the Arabian desert, it gets to hot in the middle o f the day that the feet o f the animals have to be wrapped in order to protect them from the burning heat o f the desert. The month o f fast takes its name from the great heat o f the desert. The spiritual meaning o f the word Ramadan is this; we live in a world that is adverse to us (pulling against us). It is a world that tries to excite our weaknesses and to build up the fires o f destruction w ithin us. We live in a world that is a fiery world o f desire for those things that lead to extreme and destruction. Muslims call them “ the flames o f passion,” in the words o f the poet. These are flames that excite the person to ex tremes, that make him spiritually drunk, that make him morally and mentally drunk. Because we have to have some kind o f protection against the flames o f passion o f the flesh, Allah has naturally equipped us with a protection. Man is to blame for his sins and for wrongs he inflicts upon him self: I f “We look at the naturaf..truth as it pla inly exists before iiif If follow it, and if we use our- good sehse—we will not get in so n;uth trouble. The Muslims on the Rartiadan fa it abstain from food, drink, sex, or pit-taking anything in to the body, and sacrifice their per sonal pastimes o f pleasure for their development and growth in Islam. For the Ramadan fast is not just a fast o f physical food, it is a fast for the benefit o f the to ta l person— physically, spiritually, and mentally. A nother o f the great benefits o f fasting is the development o f self- mastery. It is hard for us to do what we know is good for self and others because we are weak. Prayer, right planning for life ' s two greatest risks fin a n c ia l 1. thinking, and fasting help us to over come this weakness. Muslims celebrate the feast o f Eid- ul-Fitr as a sign o f thanks and appre ciation to A llah (God) wfio gave them the physical ability to endure the hunger pains and thirst during the thirty day period o f Ramadan; who gave the Muslims the physical endurance to wake up early (before dawn) so that they can get their blessings fo r Sahoor (breakfast before sunrise, before fast begins), to perform their Fajr Salaat (prayer) on time and to recite the entire Holy Qu’ r a n (l/3 0 o f it per night). The celebration o f Eid-ul-Fitr is a happy and joyous occasion and a sign o f praise to Almighty Allah who gave the Muslims the opportunity to obliterate their sins and atone for th eir mistakes which were ac cum ulating throughout the whole year. This is the time during the month o f Ramadan when Muslims try their best to atone for their sins as much as possible. For this reason M uslims go through a rigorous training program during the month o f Ramadan. Lastly, the occasion o f the Eid is a sign o f the unity o f the M uslim ’ s llm m a t (com m unity) throughout the whole world under the banner o f L a illa h a lla lla h Muhammadar Rasoolullah (there is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger), and all Muslims must fast during the month o f Ramadan at the prescribed time, no one can begin his fast after dawn break, and no one has the right to break his fast before sunset. This type o f unity is the unity o f Muslims, and no one Muslim can move the fast month from Ramadan to any other m onth of,(.he yeTf, whether for convenience or for-pther reasons. No one Muslim is excused from the fasting o f Ramadan on the basis o f wealth, position, or status in society. A ll M uslims all over the world are equal in the sight o f Allah. Allah says in the Quran: "V e rily the most honored o f you in the sight o f God is he who is the most righteous o f y o u .. . ” (49:13) The feast was kicked o ff with a very inspiring Khutbar (address) by O .S .P .’ s president Imam Rashid Haleem M u ’ m in (aka D arrell Hughes) who told the believers not to fall back out o f step because Ra madan has ended but to keep strivin g fo r self-mastery, and to please Allah with all your might and L iv in g to o lo n g a n d g o in g D y in g to o to o n ond FRESH OREGON GROWN 'A your f a m ily A ao TO*1« T 9’f- b ro k e 1 SMELTERS. S A V IN G S Si RETIREMENT P LA N S. IN S U R A N C E 2 8 8 -3 4 4 6 You gel more fo eaf than just c a rro t sticks W eight Watchers a llow s you a ll this fo r lunch! The Eating Plan is famous and it works1 But it s only one part of the complete Program. For details, call: W EIGHT WATCHERS The Authority LOCAL CLASS LIS TIN G EMANUEL HOSPITAL 2801 N Gantenbein Emanuel East, Room B 1 (Nursing Home) Thura 7:00pm NORTHEAST port land MARANATHA CHURCH 1222 NE Skidmore Sat. 9 30am HOLLADAY PARK HOSPITAL 1226 NE 2nd Ave Bldg No. 1 6th Floor Solarium Thura 4 00pm CARPENTERS HALL 2225 N Lombard St. Mon 7:00pm Thura 9 30am For Information cell COLLECT Portl.nd IBM. 297 1021 Weekdey. | | JO IN W EIGHT WATCHERS NOW ! W H A T HAVE YOU G O T TO LOSE? • » 8 30 C W E IG H T W A T C H E R S IN T L IN C '9 Z 9 O W N E R O F TH E W EIG H T W ATC HERS a PE PSTEP TRADE MAR KS , y J *» , T OU< >> I POUND Im a m M a ik il S habazz, Im am Rasheed H. M u m in. Brother All M u h am m ad . agency manager TAX -A. renderTunna \ b ro k e le a v i n g TURKEYS 10 TO 13Vi Pound AVERAGE / I C lifford J. Campbell, Jr. I I # MONEY CONCEPTS INTERNATIONAL I 2 presents a Regional Seminar at the Willamette Center Auditorium 121 S.W. Salmon September 29 & 30. For information call: 228 3863 tivities ran smoothly for us and for being so patient with us during our main. To want for your brother (or sister) what you want for yourself, for Allah is the master o f us all, no matter what color one might be. For it is only one humanity, and men tality not color is the divider o f our fa m ily. Brother Calbruce Rahim Green, also an inmate at O.S.P. who acted as M.C. for the evening was blessed to have his w ife — sister Galena Davis Green, inmate o f the Women’ s Correctional Center— by his side on this special night. This writer would like to especially point out that this is the first time Hoyt C. Cupp (warden o f O.S.P.) has ap proved an inmate o f the women's correctional center to come over and participate in any activity at O.S.P. We would also like to thank Ms. Lee G ie rlo ff, warden o f the Women’ s Correctional Center for allowing this historical event to happen. The M uslim com m unity would like to pay special thanks to Hoyt C. Cupp for allowing us to practice the Ramadan fast in the proper manner, by a special turn-out to eat before sunrise and to receive a special sack lunch at sunset. We are also very happy to report to Muslims out there (in the free w orld) that we have established the Jumah prayer ser vices. Cupp has also sanctioned that every time pork is served on the chow line— that beef is to be served also— A l-h u m d u lilla h (all praise due to Allah)! So Al-lslam is alive and kick ing at O.S.P. and In-sha-lah ( if Allah is willing) the divine light of Al-lslam w ill shine brighter and brighter in this deep dark belly o f the whale. The food fo r the feast was provided by the brothers and sisters o f Muhammad’ s Masjid #62, which is in Portland. A special thanks to brother Imam M aikil Shabbazz, the resident Imam o f the Portland Masjid as well as the representative -Of the W orld C om m unity o f A l- lslam in the West, who is none other than the Honorable Imam Wallace Deen Muhammad here in the state. Our beloved brother Imam Shabazz gave a moving, warm, timely and ex citing Khutbar (address) on the need o f religion. When he said that we should struggle hard, keep A llah (God) before us, and come back into the natural order (the natural mind) o f people. Brother Imam Shabazz also stated that we would have to get out o f the crazy mind that this world o f grafted, unnatural mentality has given to us. It gives us the mind that makes us think that we do not need each other, and that every man and woman is an individual (that you are independent o f other people). This kind o f ignorant thinking that they feed the masses o f people, that they teach their own class o f people that they are not individuals, but they should live together and die together. Brother Omar Shabazz (brother Imam Shabazz's brother) brought a big pot o f his homemade bar-b-q beef ribs and sauce that was truth fu lly fin g e r-lic k in ’ good. Inmate brother Asmar Abdul Seifullah (aka Joe West) entertained the guests of the feast with some o f his original, spirit-inspiring, soul-soothing, truth- revealing poetry. Brother Asmar is known as the West Wind to fellow poets and friends alike for his eye opening soulful poems. This writer would like to thank Charles Keaton, staff advisor; and M r. Versteeg. head o f the activities department; who played big parts in helping to see that our Ramadan Fresh Rich's Unbaited 89 Turkeys 8 V A R IE T IE S I armour ( LUNCH .- M E A T noi PKG HOT BEEF DOGS n o t. PKG. < 98 < 98 DANIEL CARTWRIGHT holy m onth. Thanks and appre ciation also goes to Gary Mclnnes, prison C atholic Priest, and M r. Kennicott for the aid that they un selfishly gave us, and for the time they spent away from their families so that our feast o f Eid-ul-Fitr could be the success it was. I would like to say to all the Muslims out there that may Allah (Subhanna Wa ta a’ la) the glorified and most high— shower you his choicest blessings and Fee Iman Allah (Keep Faith In Allah). SH O P II ■ENOW'S r FOR BR AN D S you k m w V A R IE T IE S y o u lik e SIZES y o u w o n ! IM I It • M i l 1.1 M llw a u h ia J THo Fr»«r>dl»ost I Stores In Towi Sin«« 1908 • SStfc A ! • • • Aw m siN » • 1 12n4 A N .l O I im i h • N Lo m b a rd »9 O o o U y • H ills A lo s o • 1A3«(4 a t > I O I v I s W a • O a k O r*« « • J J rN A H I • ft 6 1. Olvisi»* • 3 3 rd A W o » Awrweldo • Lwfco Q i « i | i «O A A w • K in g C ity " “ As Salaam Alaikum Wa Rah ma tullah." E ' "f/cede/eum X O D U S r/u eu /u n u / u n e / ^te-et/m en/ fttn /sr 1518 N E KILLINGSWORTH PORTLAND. OREGON 9721 1 284 7997 EXODUS SEPTEMBER According to John Stambaugh the historical cycle of society revolves in the following manner: Society's progress from bondage to spiritual faith — from spiritual faith to courage —from courage to freedom—from freedom to abundance—from abun dance to selfishness (when the abundance reaches selfishness consider it a warning)—from selfishness to apathy—from apathy to dependency—from de pendency right back into bondage. While this describes the rise and fall of sociological civilizations, and in general lets us know where we are in this cycle, as a society, it also can be used to check our attitude toward our personal relationships. Tw o Questions: 1. Where do you think our society is at this point in time? 2. Where do you FEEL you are within our society at this point in time?
