السلام عليكم ورحمتالله وبركاته

عيدكم مبارك اللهم تقبل منا ومنكم

July 29, 2020

Bilal community center wishes all members of the Muslims community all over the world and especially in the Dallas fort worth area Eid Mubarek!

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Americans nationwide (blacks, whites, latinos, Asian, natives etc) came out in protest after the brutal police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, in Minneapolis Minnesota,  and demanded justice . The anger and frustration of black people and other people of color expressed in the protests with respect to the lack of accountability in the criminal justice system of police violence, use of excessive force, and fatal shootings that are specifically targeting blacks and other people of color has been extensively covered in many major media outlets both in the US and internationally.

The youth of Bilal Community, in addition to from participating in the local protest of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, have been hosting weekly Zoom meetings inviting many youths involving the DFW area Bilal community members to discuss the movement. Some youth sisters also baked varieties of cookies and sold to raise fund for the BLM in which all the proceedings was donated. During the meetings, the youths shared their feelings identifying themselves as African Americans or Ethiopian Americans alternatively and their experiences in racial identity as they understood it or as explained to them by their parents.

The youth group highlighted that there is parental misinformation or lack of historical understanding in the experience of African Americans, the legacy of slavery, and the struggle of the civil right era that resulted in the freedom we enjoy today. The youth expressed growing concern as the way they view race and race relations as second-generation Americans are completely different from that of their parents. The youth of Bilal convincingly argue that racial issues are understood differently when contrasted with the views of their parents causing less than nothing involvement with the struggle of Black people to bring about sensible reform to the justice system that disproportionately arrests, convict and incarcerates people of color. The youth of Bilal suggested in their meetings that parent and youth combined education and awareness programs may close the gap between parents and their youth concerning race-related issues. As many of the youth expressed their emotion-filled despair on how their parents are not fully grasping the reality of racial inequality and injustice in this country, they also expressed the hope that through education and awareness programs parents will come to understand and embrace the struggle and experiences of their children.

The youth program organizers and the board of directors of the Bilal Community are currently actively working to host especial educational dialogue that will include both youth and parents together and address the lack of understanding with historical education clarify misinformation and creating awareness in race relations and racial issues in this country.

It is believed that the dialogue and discussion topics will include African Americans and the legacy of slavery, the struggle for human and civil rights, current racial injustice and the need for criminal justice reform, and what our role should be to enhance change and be apart of the movement that lead to all freedom equal rights and justice.

Bilal Community will announce the date and time of the seminar as scheduling is completed.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

Holly Quran Chapter Al-Ma’idah 5:32

“…أَنَّهُ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْفَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا ۚ …”

“…whoever kills a soul … it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely…”

Bilal Community Center vehemently condemns the brutal, inhumane and senseless murder of George Floyd by the racist Minneapolis police officers and calls for a speedy and commensurate justice against the four savage officers. We are extremely saddened and aggrieved by this loss of another unarmed sacred human life as a result of continuing systemic racism against people of color. We, as African-American Muslims of Ethiopian origin, are extremely heartbroken by this senseless murder and mourn yet again the loss of another one of our own to the enduring racism and bias against people of color in America. As adherents of Islam and its ingrained sanctity of life, we demand swift and proportional justice be served in manner that sends a resounding message to any police officer or government agent harboring potential racist bias against people of color.

As Muslims, we firmly believe every human being is created equal. To that effect, Allah SW says in the Holly Quran chapter 49:13 Surah Hujirat.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

O mankind! Indeed, we created you from a male and a female and We made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, (the) most noble of you near Allah (is the) most righteous of you Indeed, Allah (is) All-Knower, All-Aware. (Surah Hujirat 49:13)

This Islamic foundation of equality of human beings was articulated by the the prophet Muhammad SAW in his address of his companions in one of the last sermons on mount Arafat when he said “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over non-Arab nor non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white man has no superiority over black nor a black man has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.” Islam as a religion has set the platform for universal equality by the decree of Almighty Allah SW that human life is sacred and human beings have  inviolable universal rights that were bestowed by our creator, Allah SW. As Allah SW stated in the above verse, the variation in our appearances and categorizations as different ethnicity, nations, tribes etc. are only needed for the purpose of knowing and recognizing one another.

Human history, unfortunately, is full of documented violations of the universal decree of Almighty Allah SW stemming from disbelief in the Creator, arrogance, hunger for power, deceit, greed, ignorance and disregard for basic human rights and dignity. The shameful legacy of slavery here in America has been one of the worst forms of injustice in modern history through the denial of basic human rights and human dignity for millions of African Americans throughout time. Slavery subjugated black people in America as property of white men for hundreds of years, stripped them of their identity and self knowledge, denied them of their human rights and completely disconnected them from their ancestral religious (mainly Islam), linguistic and cultural traditions of Africa. The saddest thing of all, black people were not only stripped of their religious practice, but they were also forced to adapt their master’s religion that openly declared black people as inferior to whites and justified the horrors against black slaves.

Even after slavery was formally abolished, black people in America have continued to be victims of open and tacit racism and have been subjected to a seemingly unending struggle for their God-given and constitutionally affirmed basic rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. More than 150 years after slavery was formally abolished, black people in America still live in the shadow of constant fear for their lives and are still fighting for their right to live and be respected as a human being while also fighting for equal opportunity in sharing wealth and resources of this land, the right for good education, the right to vote and most importantly the right to have equal protection of the law. (more…)

Assalamu Aleykum

December 20, 2019; a day the horrifying images were indelibly inscribed in the minds of more than 60 million Ethiopian Muslims! Setting the four grand mosques ablaze in Mota region of Gojam, Ethiopia was an organized, well thought and was orchestrated by multiple interested groups including extremist christian terrorist groups, the local government and local law enforcement member.

Those four mosques were set ablaze while the extremist christian mob surrounded the burning mosques like campfire cheering and singing their disgraceful songs while another mob went after Muslim-owned businesses for looting, vandalizing properties and setting whatever was left on fire.

All along, none of the local, regional or federal government law enforcement agents attempted to stop these disregardful acts, protect the Muslim citizens or make any arrest of the perpetrators.

Click the link below to see video

This unforgettable event angered Ethiopian Muslims all over the world. Muslims expressed their anger by peaceful demonstrations and dialogues with community leaders, fathers and elders of different religious groups; rose to show their solidarity to the Mota Muslim brothers and sisters and call out these fanatic christian extremists for what they truly stood for and have done. Muslims went on beyond denouncing the cruel acts of these fanatic Christian terrorists and countered this disgraceful and sorrowing event by coming together as one umma with one purpose. Ethiopian Muslims all over the world responded to a call of global fundraising initiated by the Supreme Council of Ethiopian Islamic Affair. Muslims all over the world mobilized in raising funds for rehabilitation of the Mota Muslims businesses and rebuild the four masajid that were burnt to a crisp. These unprecedented fundraising events all over the world  were beyond comprehension and showed the true solidarity and oneness of the Muslim umma at a time of adversity. It undoubtedly showed  these terrorist extremists the power of an angry Muslim umma and likely made them regret what they have done. Even though these extremists tried to destroy Muslims business and worship places in Mota, the amount of fund raised would (with the blessing of Allah swt) go beyond rebuilding what was lost and providing support to the victims of greedy looters who looted or destroyed hundreds of millions in Mota Muslim hard earned properties and possessions.

Bilal Community Center (BCC) , as part of the international Muslim initiative, took the lead in organizing the DFW area Muslims to stand by the side of the brothers and sisters of Mota and answer the call for supporting our brothers and sisters. The BCC leadership immediately assembled a Mota fundraising task force and delegated the task of raising the funds. The fundraising started in January of 2020 and was completed on February 2, 2020 with a grand fundraising event at Bilal Community Center.
Alhamdulilah, the fundraising was very successful as our DFW area Muslim brothers and sisters vigorously showed their unity in a manner that continued to give a pause and humiliate all anti-muslim extremists, especially in Mota and other parts of Ethiopia. Our collective voice was loud and was heard all around the four corners of the world by raising over 83,000 USD for the rebuilding of the four masajid that were burnt and help restore the property looted and vandalized from Mota Muslim families by the extremist and criminal mob.

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السلام عليكم ورحمتالله وبركاته

Assalam Aleykum warahmetullahi wabarekatu.

Bilal community center as a non- profit organization is established to organize members who are Muslims and Ethiopian origin for the common good of the community in which the vision includes to provide Islamic education and services. Based on these missions, the community works together to provide various services both within the community and abroad in Ethiopia. It is recently that the Dallas Bilal community responded to support the brothers and sisters in Mota region, Ethiopia, who were victims of the attack of fanatic Christian terrorists who burned down 4 mosques to blaze, looted and vandalized Muslim business and properties. In the effort of rebuilding the Mosques of Mota and rehabilitate the business of the Muslims, Dallas Tx. Bilal community raise fund and send more than $83,000 USD to the Mota fund projects.

Just this past Ramdan the sisters of the Bilal community of Dallas TX collected donations to support needy Muslims in Ethiopia. The result was heartwarming inspiring and exciting to see so many lives being touched. Indeed Allah SW alone measures the reward for the great good the sisters of this community are doing. We pray that Allah SW multiplies their reward.

please click on our Facebook link to watch the video.

The Sisters team in Dallas Texas Bilal community has come together to make changes in the life of many people and take part in projects like Babul Kheyr, an Ethiopian Muslim NGO, to support a family who needs to feed their children in most cases children under 10 years of age. It is reported that 3 meals a day could be provided for 500 heads of households.  with the resent charity Bilal sisters have successfully launched food programs for more than 2500 needy women and children as well as elderlies. Two rounds of raised funds each more than 400,000 Ethiopian Birr was sent out for these food programs. They have sent their charities working with many charity organizations for different projects.

It is encouraging to see many Muslims especially  Ethiopian Muslims working together with Muslim charity organizations to make sure that help is provided for communities in need. A recent project has begun with the initiative of Dallas, TX Bilal sisters to support and provide material assistance to COVID 19 prevention programs as well as supporting victims. It is indeed a project dear to the heart of the sisters of Bilal community and they invite all Muslim members of other communities to join them in the effort of supporting the needy in Ethiopia.

May Allah SW bless the sisters of the Dallas Bilal community and help them in the effort of changing the life of people one family at a time.

please click on our Facebook link to watch the video.

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As you all may know this year Ramadan is much different from all the other Ramadan we have witnessed. What makes this Ramadan particularly different is the fact that all privileges of collective deeds such as praying Tarawih, breaking fast together  and even praying Salut Eid together may not be possible due the social distancing policy enforced by city government to prevent or reduce the risk of COVID 19 infection spread.

This leave many Muslims wondering how we should perform our Saltul Eid. what are the rulings concerning  praying at home individually or with just family.

Bilal community center had the opportunity to invite Ustaz Mohammed Ali of Huston, Texas who has given our community a comprehensive lecture regarding the rulings of the two Eids in Islam.  Ustaz Mohammed Ali has given additional lesson during the questions and answer time regarding the ruling of praying Salatul Eid individually at home.

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Assalam Aleykum

Bilal community center wishes to all Muslims around the Dallas fort worth area Ramdan Mubarak!

Bilal wishes everyone in our Community great month of blessing, prayer, supplication and acceptance of our Siyam and all good deeds with mercy from Allah SW. We ask Allah SW, to remove the world pandemic of COVID 19 with his mercy. We seek protection by him(SW) from all diseases that are afflicting humanity. We pray for the recovery of those who are sick from coronavirus and all other diseases. Ameen!

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  مَا لَكُمْ لاَ تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنْ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَنَا مِنْ  لَدُنْكَ نَصِيرًا (النساء:٧٥)

በአላህ መንገድና ከወንዶች፣ ከሴቶችና ከልጆችም የኾኑትን ደካሞች እነዚያን፦ “ጌታችን ሆይ! ከዚች ባለቤቶችዋ በዳይ ከኾኑት ከተማ አውጣን፤ ከአንተም ዘንድ ለኛ አሳዳሪ አድርግልን፤ ከአንተ ዘንድምለኛ ረዳትን አድርግልን።” የሚሉትን (ለማዳን) የማትጋደሉት ለእናንተ ምን አላችሁ? (ሱረቱ አል-ኒሳእ:75)

በቃ ማለት በቃ ነው፤ ካሁን በኋላ በፍፁም አይደገምም!

እኛ በቴክሳስ ዳላስ ፎርት ዎርዝ አካባቢ የምንኖር ሙስሊም ኢትዮጵያውያን እና ትውልደ-ኢትዮጵያውያን በቅርብ ጊዜያት በተለያዩ የኢትዮጵያ ክልሎች የእስልምናና ክርስትና ሃይማኖት ተቛማት ላይ በተለይም በተደጋገመና በገዘፈ መልኩ በሙስሊሞች ህይወት፣ ንብረትና መስጊዶች ላይ እየተፈጸሙ ያሉትን ተደጋጋሚ የጥፋት ድርጊቶች እጅግ በመረረ መልኩ እናወግዛለን።

በተለይም በሰሞኑ በአማራ ክልል በሞጣ ከተማ ውስጥ በአንድ ቀን አራት መስጊዶችን ማቃጠል ሳይበቃቸው በሚቃጠሉት መስጊዶች ዙሪያ በመጨፈርና በማቅራራት እንኩዋን ፈጣሪን አውቃለሁ ከሚሉ ሰው መሰሎች ይቅርና ፈጣሪን ከካዱ ሰዎች የማይጠበቅ እንስሳዊ ድርጊት የፈጸሙ ሰዎችን እንዲሁም ካሁን በፊት የተፈፀሙ ተመሳሳይ ግፎችን በቸልተኝነት በመመልከት ለዚህ አሳፋሪ ድርጊት ቅድመ ሁኔታዎችን ያመቻቹትን የአማራ ክልል አስተዳደርና የፀጥታ ኣካላት በከፍተኛ ቁጣ እናወግዛቸዋለን።  በአላህ(ሱወ) ፍቃድም ካሁን በፊት እንደነበሩት በደለኞች በተቻለው መልኩ ሁሉ ለፍርድ እንዲቀርቡ እንጥራለን።

በመረጃ የተደገፈ ታሪክ በግልፅ እንደሚያሳየው ሙስሊም አትዮጵያውያን ካሁን በፊት በነበሩ መንግስታትና መሪዎች የተለያዩ ገፅታ ያላቸው ግልፅና ድብቅ ግፍና በደል ይደርስባቸው እንደነበር ይታወቃል። ከነዚህም ውስጥ ሙስሊሞችን በጅምላ መግደል፣ ሃይማኖታቸውን እንዲቀይሩ ማስገደድ፣ በተወለዱባት ሃገራቸው ውስጥ እንደ ሁለተኛ ዜጋ በመፈረጅ ሃይማኖታቸውን ፈጣሪ ባዘዘው መልኩ እንዳይተገብሩ በማድረግ፣ የሙስሊም ኢትዮጵያውያንን ታሪክ በመካድ፣ በማጠልሸትና በመከለስ ለምዕተ ዘመናት የዘለቁ ግፎችን ማስታወስ የግድ ይላል። አሁን ባለንበት ዘመን እንኩዋን በተለያዩ የሃገሪቱዋ ክፍሎች በተለይም በአክሱም አካባቢ ሙስሊሞችን በትውልድ ስፍራቸው ላይ ፈጣሪን የሚያመልኩበት መስጊድ መስሪያ ቦታ ከመከልከል አልፎ ሲሞቱ እንኩዋን የሚቀበሩበት የመቃብር ቦታ በመከልከል እየደረሰባቸው ያለው ግፍና በደል ከማንም የተደበቀ አይደለም።

አሁን ደግሞ ይባስ ብሎ ሙስሊም ኢትዮጵያውያንን ከተወለዱበት መሬት ማፈናቀልና የለፉበትን ንብረታቸውን መዝረፍ ሳያንሳቸው በሞጣ ከተማ እንደታየው የአለማት ጌታ አላህ (ሱወ) ማምለኪያ ቤት የሆኑ አራት መስጊዶችን በማናለብኝነት ስሜት በእሳት እያነደዱ ዙሪያውን ከበው በመጨፈርና በመፎከር ስብዕና ፈጽሞ የጠፋበት ድርጊታቸው በማንኛውም ቦታ ያለን ሙስሊም ኢትዮጵያውያን “በቃ ማለት በቃነው፤ ካሁን በኋላ በፍፁም አይደገምም!” ብለን በቁርጠኝነት እንድንነሳ አስገድዶናል።

በዚህም የተነሳ እኛ በቴክሳስ ዳላስ ፎርት ዎርዝ አካባቢ የምንኖር ሙስሊም ኢትዮጵያውያን እና ትውልደ-ኢትዮጵያውያን፦

፩) በሞጣና በሌሎች የሃገሪቱ ክፍሎች ውስጥ በሃይማኖት ተቋማት ላይ የተፈፀሙ የማፍረስና የማቃጠል ድርጊቶችን በከፍተኛ ድምፅ እናወግዛለን፤

፪) የፌደራልና የክልል መንግስት አካላት እነዚህን እኩይ ተግባራትን የፈፀሙትን፣ ከጀርባ በመሆንም እንደዚህ አስፀያፊ ድርጊቶችን ያቀነባበሩትን መሰሪ ወንጀለኞችን በፍጥነት ለፍርድ እንዲያቀርቡ አበክረን እንጠይቃለን፤

፫) የፌደራልና የክልል መንግስት አካላት ለጠቅላላው የሃገሩቱ ህዝብ ያለባቸውን ሃላፊነት ከማንኛውም የዘር የሃይማኖትና የጎሳ አድልዎ በፀዳ መልኩ እንዲወጡ ይህንንም ከወገንተኝነት ነፃ የሆነ አስተዳደራዊ ስራ የሚያውኩ በየደረጃው የተሰገሰጉ ሃላፊዎችና አማካሪዎች ላይ አስቸኳይ የማስተካከያ እርምጃዎች እንዲወስዱ አበክረን እንጠይቃለን፤

፬) ካሁን በፊት የሱማሌ ክልል መንግስት እንዳደረገው በየቦታዎች ለተፈፀሙ በደሎች የሚመለከታቸው ክልሎች በተለይም 21 መስጊዶች ሲቃጠሉ በቸልተኝነት የተመለከተው የአማራ ክልል መንግስት የጥቃቶቹን ሰለባዎችና ሙስሊም ኢትዮጵያውያንን ይቅርታ እንዲጠይቅ ለተጎዱ ሰዎችም ተገቢውን ካሳ እንዲከፍል እንዲሁም የተቃጠሉና የፈረሱ የሃይማኖት ተቛማትን በራሱ ወጪ በተቻለ ፍጥነት መልሶ እንዲያሰራ እንጠይቃለን፤

፭) እንዲህ ኣይነት አሳፋሪ ድርጊቶች ዳግም እንዳይፈፀሙ የሚመለከታቸው የፌደራልና የክልል መንግስትና የፀጥታ አካላት ለሁሉም ኢትዮጵያውያንና የሃይማኖት ተቛማት እኩልና ዘላቂ ጥበቃ እንዲያደርጉ እንጠይቃለን።

ሙስሊም ኢትዮጵያውያን እና ትውልደ-ኢትዮጵያውያን ለሃገራችን ያለን ጥልቅ ውዴታ ምንጩ መሬቱና ተራራው ሳይሆን እስልምና መሆኑን ማንም ሰው ሊያውቀው ይገባል። እኛ ለሃገራችን ስንለፋና ስንሰዋ እስልምና ለሃይማኖታችን፣ ለራሳችን፣ ለቤተሰባችን፣ ለጎረቤቶቻችን፣ ለዘመዶቻችን፣ ለንብረታችንና ለሃገራችን አስፈላጊውን ሁሉ መስዋእትነት እንድንከፍል ስለሚያዘን ነው። አላህ (ሱወ) በቁርአን ውስጥ እንዳዘዘን ስግደታችንም መገዛታችንም መኖራችንም ሆነ መሞታችን ለአለማት ጌታ አላህ (ሱወ) ብቻ መሆኑን ማንኛውም በእስልምና ላይ የተሳሳተ አመለካከት ያለው ሰው ጠንቅቆ ቢያውቅና ሁሌም ቢያስታውስ ይበጀዋል። ሙስሊም ኢትዮጵያውያን እጅግ በጣም ታጋሾችና በፈጣሪያችን ብቻ የምንመካ ብንሆንም በደል ሲበዛብን በተለይ በሃይማኖታችን በመጡ ጉዳዮች ላይ በፍፁም የማንደራደርና ካሁን በፊት የነበሩትን ጨቛኝና በዳይ ሥርዓቶችን የገረሰሱ አንፀባራቂ ትግሎች ጀማሪና ዋነኛ አካል እንደነበርን ሁሌም ማስታወስ ይገባል።

አላህ (ሱወ) ህዝባችንና ሃገራችንን እንዲጠብቅልን እንለምነዋለን። በየትኛውም ስፍራ የምንኖር ኢትዮጵያውያን በጋራ በመሆን ሃገራችንን ወደ ብጥብጥና እርስ በርስ መተላለቅ እንድንገባ በግልፅና በስውር የሚንቀሳቀሱ መሰሪ አካላትን ሴራ ለማክሸፍ አስፈላጊውን ርብርብና ያላሰለሰ ጥረት እንድናደርግ በፈጣሪያችን ስም ጥሪ እናቀርባለን።

ቢላል ኮሚኒቲ ሴንተር

ዳላስ-ፎርት ዎርዝ, ቴክሳስ

December 24, 2019

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