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Muslim American Society

About 3 pages (737 words)

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The Muslim American Society (MAS) is a nonprofit organization. It describes itself as an Islamic revival and reform movement. It traces its 1992 origin to the Muslim Brotherhood's founding of the Muslim Students' Association, which created the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). The ISNA worked diligently with MAS founders and members.^[1]^[2] MAS is "an Invigorating dynamic organization that is building an American society where Muslims are not only fully-participating citizens, but where Muslim Americans are the exemplary citizens who have elevated what is defined as American to newer heights of humanity, morality, spirituality, social justice and higher citizenry because they derive their values and beliefs not from the limits of the mere human thought, but rather from the limitlessness and vastness of the Divine, the Almighty." Dr. Esam Omeish, MAS President. MAS also has an affiliate, the MAS Freedom Foundation.^[3]

1 Controversy
2 References
3 External links

Controversy

Arms Export Control Act

In 2004, the MAS Freedom Foundation initiating a legal campaign in order to get Congress to enforce provisions of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act, which prohibits the use of U.S. weapons against civilian targets, on Israel after the Israeli government killed Hamas leader Ahmed Yassin.^[4]

Taxi Transport of Alcohol

The society has recently become involved in a dispute over Muslim taxi drivers rights to refuse to carry passengers carrying alcohol in Minnesota. The "fatwa department" of the sociey's Minnesota chapter issued a fatwa dated June 6, 2006, proclaiming that, "Islamic jurisprudence" [prohibits taxi drivers from carrying passengers with alcohol], "because it involves cooperating in sin according to the Islam," and is lobbying the airport commission for a two-tiered taxi system in which Muslim drivers will have a light at the top of their cabs indicating their refusal to carry alcohol. Currently, those that want to do this are required to go to the back of the taxi line if they refuse a fare. It has been suggested that the Society itself has orchestrated the controversy in the first place. ^[5] The director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center said

"MAS is an Arab group; we Somalis are African, not Arabs. MAS wants to polarize the world, create two camps. I think they are trying to hijack the Somali community for their Middle East agenda. They look for issues they can capitalize on, like religion, to rally the community around. The majority of Somalis oppose this, but they are vulnerable because of their social and economic situation."^[5]

In October 2006, the Airport Authority dropped the proposal in light of public opposition. As a result, an cab driver who declines a fare on religious grounds, goes to the back of the line to wait for another fare.^[6]

Combating Anti-Muslim Groups

In October 2007, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) sponsored Muslim Family Day at Six Flags, a Dallas-area amusement park. Joe Kaufman and his group, "Americans Against Hate" responded by planning a protest at the event saying that ICNA had been involved in the financing of Hamas. A MAS-led coalition obtained a restraining order against Kaufman.^[7]

Quotes currently found on MAS-Minnesota's website

“If you gain victory over the men of Jews, kill them.” “May Allah destroy the Jews, because they used the graves of their prophets as places of worship.” “In view of the degenerate moral condition of the Jews and the Christians, the Believers have been warned not to make them their friends and confidants.” “A Muslim must always worship Allah and wage jihad until death in order to reach his ultimate goal…. Regularly make the intention to go on jihad with the ambition to die as a martyr.” “The [Islamic] revolution…has been crystallized in the steadfast, brave, aware Islamic resistance movement ‘Hamas.’”