Radiance Magazine
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NoorNews >> NoorNews
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Sunday Mar 09, 2008
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In Election 08, first time in the Columbus history, voters have been gathering in an Islamic Center to vote for America’s next president. Noor Islamic Cultural Center at Wilcox Rd., Dublin, OH, is the first-ever Islamic Center of the Central Ohio that has been used as an election precinct too.
The administration of NICC has wide opened the doors of this beautiful center for its neighbors and community. “They are more than generous,” appreciates Maureen Dow of the election team, “they are not required to, but they have been serving food and taking extra care of the election team.”
Voters too appreciated the huge parking lot and the well-lit warm building as a blessing in the rough weather on the day of election. “It’s a great facility with plenty of rooms to host community activities. Indeed a great center, indoor and out door,” says one voter.
“People are just amazed that how beautiful this structure and building is,” says Richie Clark, the presiding officer appointed by the Board of Election of Franklin County, Ohio. While talking about having election at an Islamic center Clark adds, “For many people it’s a new experience.”
It is a new experience for Board of Election too, as it was revealed by one of their member who requested to be anonymous. “Last time (in November 07), some people were being upset of its being held in an Islamic Center. The board still took the decision in favor of NICC as they did not see any reason to be concerned.” In fact, the board decided to close four smaller and inconvenient precincts and merged them all in one Super Vote Center at NICC.
Like her other colleagues, Dow too supports the board’s decision. “There are other options like absentee ballot or vote by mail for someone who does not want to come to this center, I do not see any need to close the doors of this center to the rest of the community. Generalizing Muslims as any kind of threat to the community is simply wrong,” she adds. “This is stereotyping, and Americans must not fall for it; it will not serve us any good.”
Most Americans are too smart to fall for such stereotypes anyway. Hundreds of them showed up to vote at the Islamic Center. By their attendance, they not only support the American democracy, but they also support the American dream of equality for all.
By Zerqa Abid
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The Prophet Muhammad ( Peace be upon him ) addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying, "Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which a night better than a thousand months; a month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all."
Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah
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