Calligraphy and photo by Jamil Ahmed               

Great opportunity for children and ladies to take part in Islamic Art classes. This is a chance to learn about Islamic calligraphy, art, geometry and much more.

The cost per student per class is $10.00  (include all the required art materials)

The classes will be held at two locations:

Summerlin area
1620 Grey Bull Way, Las Vegas, 89128

First lesson, Monday,22nd March 2010
3:30-5pm

Henderson area
1610 E. Russell Road, Las Vegas, NV 89119

First lesson, Tuesday, 23rd March 2010
3:30-5pm

Outline of Islamic Art Class Activities

The following are ideas for the Islamic art classes;

Month 1- Islamic Calligraphy

The first month will be based on Islamic calligraphy here we will start of by a brief introduction to Islamic calligraphy/ history. In the duration of the four weeks we will look at four main styles of writing and support it with and a creative activity. We will use simple Islamic verses, of which I can provide a template should a student need extra guidance.
• Early, Eastern and Knotted Kufic Text- We will create a stain glass painting (using clear film or similar) in the form of
Early, Eastern or Knotted Kufic text.
• Square Kufic Text - We will create a mosaic in the form of Square Kufic text
• Naskh, Thuluth,and Muhaqqaq Text- We will use Acrylic on canvas and paint in the form of Naskh, Thuluth,and Muhaqqaq text.
• Nastaliq and Riqa Text- We will create a crayon scratch board and write in the form of Nastaliq and Riqa text.

Month 2 - Ornamentation and Decorative Forms

The next few weeks we will learn about the different patterns and decorative forms found in mosques in Islamic scriptures and ornamentations and support it with creative crafts.
• Geometric patterns - The four main basic shapes that form repeat units are circles, square rectangle and the star, here we will explore different patterns then make a hanging mobile.
• Plant forms/ Vegetation- We will explore the different plant / vegetation found in pots and plates etc. We will proceed to make a clay pot/plate or vase and embellish it. Once air dried (this typically take a few days to cure), we will paint and varnish it for durability. This lesson will take up two weeks
• Metal work - We will use Aluminum foil to create a decorative Islamic panel/plate then give it a painted bronzed aged look.

Month 3 and 4 - Lets build minaret domes and arches

The next few weeks we will look and study mosques from around the world and support it with some exciting crafts and models. We will build minarets domes arches and mosques. We will look at patterns, calligraphy found in mosques and apply it to our crafts. We will use a variety of materials such as sand, paper, clay etc.
Some examples of the mosques that we will look at are listed bellow.
The great mosque of Samarra in Iraq
The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
Faisal Mosque In Pakistan
The Great Mosque of China Xian
The Diabolo Mosque in Mali

Month 6- Just for fun

Here are some activates that are just for fun, we will apply all the knowledge we picked up in the previous lessons on calligraphy, geometry and platforms.
• Create and make a Sadka box.
• Lets make a Quran stand.
• Lets create a Wooden Screens.
• Create a Hijir and Georgian calendar

Month 7 – Quran Stories

This month we will read about some of our Prophets and Quran stories and support what we learn with a fun activity by making creative scene.
• The story of Prophet Yunus /Jonah (pbuh) - We will make an ocean scene with a whale, fishes and seaweed all praising
Allah when Prophet Yunus was swallowed by the whale.
• The Story of Prophet Nuh / Noah (pbuh)- Lets create a scene of the animal in pairs with the great flood and the Ark.
• The Story of Prophet Sulaiman / Solomon (pbuh)- He was able to speak to insects, animals birds, etc. We will create a scene of the ants insects etc in a garden.

E mail- fawzia@cohesivespaces.com
Phone(702) 203-7577

www.cohesivespaces.com

Since its inception in 1985, the University Forum lecture series has presented a diverse selection of scholars and intellectuals to the Las Vegas community.

Sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts, the University Forum features lectures, poetry readings, demonstrations, music recitals, and dance performances presented by UNLV faculty as well as teachers, physicians, thinkers, opinion leaders, journalists, and others from around the world.

View a calendar of upcoming lecture dates and topics or print a PDF version.

The lecture series provides a vital service to the local community and approximately 4,000 people come to campus each year to attend one of the more than 30 free showcase events.

Different than other lecture series that bring "big names" to campus, the University Forum, which averages 125 attendees, provides a much more intimate experience, allowing easier access to the speakers, who usually mingle after the event.

For additional information on the University Forum contact: 895-3401 or: http//liberalarts.unlv.edu/forum.htm

The MSA at UNLV will be holding another large event in honor of Women's History (or HERstory) month. The event is titled "Under Her Veil", and will be conducted by many Muslim women within UNLV's MSA and the Las Vegas community as well. These women will be tackling the common issues involving women in Islam and also give their unique perspectives in their lives as a young Muslim woman within America. These young women are putting a great event together for everyone, and it will be sure to be a great event!

Islamic Information Center
Masjid Al Noor

1610 E. Russell Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
IIC / Masjid Al Noor opens at the new location

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Islam:

Assalam O Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu:

May this email find all of you in good health and spirit of Iman.

1.  Alhamdolillah the new location: 1610 E. Rusell Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119 is now open for 5 daily prayers and the Jumah prayers.

2. New programs are being looked at and will be announced shortly.  If anyone has any suggestion, please let us know.

3. Dr. Saleha Baig has started Free Classes for Sisters

Saturday 11 AM - 1 PM Tajweed, and Sunnah Duas
Sundays 11 AM  - 1 PM Fiqh and Tafseer

For more information please email salehab2005@yahoo.com or call Dr. Saleha Baig in the evening or weekend at 702 686-4469.

4. Sister Fatima Fayed is also offering a class for sisters only for learning Arabic and learning Quran on Sturdays 9 AM - 11 AM

5. Brother Ahmed Fayed is giving Tajweed classe after Isha on Fridays.

6.  Brother Tarik is giving lectures on every Tuesday after Isha for next three weeks and will change the time to be after Maghrib in three weeks.

Passport to Giving:    If and when you travel, please consider using our website to make your reservations.  IIC has signed up for an excellent program.  See the travel booking on the left side of our website www.iiclasvegas.com.  You can travel anywhere, you can book your flights, your hotels, cars and cruise and you pay exactly the same price as you will do for booking through any other search engine like Travelocity or Expedia etc.  However, part of the commission will be credited to IIC.  This is easy so try it, insha Allah and Allah SWT will reward you for your donations.  That will be your donation to the Center.  Thank you in advance for participating.

 Jazak Allah Khayr, Assalaam O Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu.

Sincerely,
Khaliq Baig, M.D.
702 686-4473
info@iiclasvegas.com

Islamic Information Center is federally recognized charitable organization under IRS code 501 (c) (3) and your donations are tax deductible.

visit our website:   www.iiclasvegas.com
or contact us:     info@iiclasvegas.com

Dr. Aslam Abdullah will be conducting an Arabic learning class each week on Wednesday evenings after Salaat'al-Maghrib.  He will be teaching literary Arabic or Fus'ha. This is the Arabic that is also referred to as Classical Arabic by scholars.  Since Modern Arabic spoken today is also derived from Classical Arabic, as a student, you will gain the additional benefit of conversing in the Arabic language.

General information about the class:

• Lecture will be about an hour long
• No pre-registration required
  
• Textbooks are available for those participating
• Only cost to you is the textbooks
• First lecture on Wednesday, March 10, 2010
  

"We don't (have) you at gunpoint," one of the officers said. "We're not going to throw you down on the ground or handcuff you right now. We just want to make sure that you guys are good people."

"We are praying," one of the men replied. "You know, this is a Muslim prayer. Is that enough for you to say that this is suspicious activity?"

"Well, that's why I'm checking it out," the officer replied.

"Do you think it is," the Muslim man asked.

"I think there's somebody out there that called us and said, ‘Hey check this out,'" the officer said. "Did I see you guys praying? No. Do I know what you were saying? I don't know if you guys repeat the same thing, or if you're actually over there saying, 'I hope that I kill a police officer today.' I don't know that you're not saying that."

After almost 45 minutes, the Muslim men were on their way. They were not arrested or cited. They are now vowing to fight what they consider an unlawful stop.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, has filed a formal complaint with the Henderson Police Department.

Read the Letter from CAIR to Henderson Police

"What the men really want to see is change within the police department and (a change in) law enforcement attitude toward people engaged in religious activity," CAIR Los Angeles Chapter staff attorney Ameena Qazi said. The Muslim travelers also want compensation for damages and emotional distress.

Nevada ACLU attorney Allen Lichtenstein questioned the officers' rationale. "Profiling can become a problem," Lichtenstein said. "Is this one of those cases? I don't know… I would be anxious to see what justification the officers had for keeping them as long as they did."

Henderson Police would not go on camera for an interview, but a spokesman says internal affairs officers are investigating.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=12094191

Las Vegas Sun newspaper:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/05/muslim-group-says-police-detained-7-praying-men/

Las Vegas Review Journal coverage (below)

http://www.lvrj.com/news/muslims-criticize-henderson-police-tactics-86706812.html

Muslim movie attracts masses 

February 22, 2010 by Bryant Nguyen 

MSA honors Black History Month with film and guest speaker event

Click image to enlarge.

More than 100 people came to the Student Union to watch an award-winning documentary on the Muslim prince-turned-slave Abdul-Rahman Ibrahima Sori, sponsored by the Muslim Students Association in honor of Black History Month last Friday.

“It is kind of a way to show the history of Islam in America and also the African-American history as well because they intertwine together,” said MSA president Amin Nash. “I believe this movie will show a different side of Islam in America and how we’ve been able to live up to our responsibilities as Muslims and human beings.”

The number of people in attendance eventually exceeded expectations and the MSA requested more seats to fulfill the high demand of the event.

Even that was not enough as people stood in the back of the room to watch the movie.

“I was actually really surprised and shocked that a lot of people showed up,” said UNLV student Jaffer Almosawy. “I expected a lot less people.”

Among the crowd were students, adults and even children. Together they watched the life story of Abdul-Rahman and his quest to one day return to his homeland after being captured by European slave traders.

After seeing the documentary for the first time, Almosawy learned that there are parts of American history that are still not widely known.

“It was a good learning experience,” Almosawy said. “It showed how one religion can be so diverse. It shows that Muslim religion went all the way to slavery. It showed that there are Muslims of different races.”

The night unfolded like any other movie event with food, drinks and a multimedia projector to display the film.

But once the movie ended, the attention turned to the guest speakers of the evening Fateen Seifullah, the religious leader of Masjid As-Sabur, and Naeem Shalf Jr., the founder of the ILM Foundation.

One at a time, they spoke about the importance of knowing one’s history and to learn from those events that took place in the past.

“When we think and reflect upon this history, we should understand that history itself is a vehicle of self-reflection. It’s a vehicle for self-improvement and some of the greatest stories known to Muslims are preserved deliberately by people who were historians,” Seifullah said.

Seifullah ended his speech with the thought that history is shared and a reflection of everyone.

“This history is important because it ties us all together,” said Seifullah. “It reminds us all of our connections. This history of African-American slaves is a history of all of us. All of us should be able to identify and relate.”

Shalf Jr. soon followed with a message to rid any misbelieved impressions that are displayed in the media and to create a new identity that mirrors the proper image of Muslims and African-Americans.

“I think there is a misconception that hopefully we will be able to change some of the misconceptions that are pervasive with the image of African-Americans in the media,” Shalf Jr. said. “So I’m hoping some misconceptions can be removed and at the same time we can all share this victory together of something like this happening on a soil that we all share today and that justice can prevail.”

Almosawy expressed the feeling of many in the audience, that the event helped elucidate the history of Muslims in America in an important way.

“They were very inspirational,” Almosawy said. “They told us a lot of things and some of the things I had no clue about. They showed us that their culture is a lot like mine and that they went through a lot and that we have to recognize and realize everything they went through.”

http://unlvrebelyell.com/2010/02/22/muslim-movie-attracts-masses/

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