Government & Politics

Minneapolis mosques to broadcast call to prayer all year round Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman announced this week that mosques will be allowed to play the adhan several times between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily and all year round.

(Star Tribune) The Muslim call to prayer will soon be heard regularly in parts of Minneapolis. Minneapolis mosques can now publicly broadcast the adhan, or call to prayer, over loudspeakers without acquiring a permit and so long as they abide by the […]

Academics & Education

Minnesota school districts to [observe] Muslim Eid holidays for the first time this year With its small but vibrant Muslim community, Minnesota's schools have until now not observed Muslim holidays. That will change next school year.

(New Arab) Even with its growing Muslim community, Minnesota’s district schools have until now not officially observed Muslim holidays. That will change starting next school year, when several school districts will recognise Eid El-Fitr and Eid El-Adha as official school holidays. “Muslims are […]

Government & Politics

Muslims win office in US municipal elections in 2021 Three years after the first Muslim women were elected to Congress, successful campaigns in Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey and Pennsylvania put Muslims in key local offices.

(Religion News) In Dearborn, Michigan, where the mayor once promised to do something about the city’s “Arab problem,” Abdullah Hammoud, a Lebanese American Muslim, was elected this month to fill that post. In New York, Bangladeshi American Shahana Hanif became the first […]

Government & Politics

Five states elect first-ever Muslim lawmakers, from Oklahoma to Delaware On Tuesday, voters in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Oklahoma and Wisconsin all elected their state legislatures’ first-ever Muslim lawmakers.

(Religion News) Mauree Turner, a 27-year-old member of Oklahoma City’s Muslim community, became Muslim after learning about the faith from her father, who converted while incarcerated. Black and nonbinary, Turner is also a community organizer who’s long been involved in criminal justice […]

Government & Politics

‘We don’t need someone distracted with Twitter’: Ilhan Omar fights off tough primary challenge The Minnesota freshman and 'Squad' member faces criticism that she’s too divisive to effectively represent her district.

(Politico) Rep. Ilhan Omar is one of the best-known Democrats from the class of 2018, a lightning-rod member of the Squad whose outspoken liberal politics have made her an enemy of Donald Trump. Back home in Minneapolis, however, her polarizing national profile […]

Government & Politics

Ilhan Omar campaign mailer accuses opponent of being ‘in the pocket of Wall Street’ and only quotes Jewish donors by name The mailer references three Jewish donors, plus 'Michael, a donor from Scarsdale, New York.'

(Vice) Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) campaign recently sent out a mail piece ripping her primary opponent, attorney Antone Melton-Meaux, for the large donations he’s gotten from wealthy and moderate donors. The only donors to her opponent identified by name in the mailer […]

Government & Politics

Jewish Democratic Council says it won’t back Ilhan Omar, mum on endorsing her primary opponent Antone Melton-Meaux, one of four candidates challenging Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar in the primary, has critcized her record of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel remarks.

(JNS) The Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) has affirmed that it will not support Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) in her upcoming primary, but did not provide [an] endorsement to her chief primary opponent, progressive Antone Melton-Meaux. Omar is set to face […]

Demonstrations

Ted Cruz slams Ilhan Omar for ‘opposition’ to antisemitism resolution The Twitter battle between the opposing politicians began when Cruz retweeted a video posted by ABC News of protesters tearing down a statue of Christopher Columbus.

(Jerusalem Post) Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) slammed Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in a Twitter battle between the Republican and the Democrat on Thursday, claiming that if she would like to discuss a genocide, she should discuss the Holocaust and her lack of […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Arab-black relations: Floyd tragedy highlights ties and tensions Debate emerges about responsibilities of Arab American-owned businesses in mostly black neighbourhoods

(Middle East Eye) “Please, please, I can’t breathe,” George Floyd pleaded, gasping for air as a police officer’s knee pressed into his neck for several minutes until his life was lost. Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on Monday has touched the conscience of […]