I am a Metro PCS wireless phone service provider franchisee. In other words I own my own business. Business ownership does not translate into richness but what it does translate into is independence.

I am full of honesty, integrity, compassion, empathetic and caring. I treat all of my customers with kindness and respect.

What I must say is that I converted to Islam when I was 20 years old. I don't need to go to another contry. Furthermore over 30% of my ancestors who where enslaved arrived into this country as Muslims. Why is anyone always talking about going back to their country when everyone here is residing on stolen property in the first place to begin with?

There are so many people who continuously slander other races, cultures and religions yet do not know the ugliness, the wickness, the maliciousness, the darkness, the violence of their own races and cultures?

I'm not trying to start an argument...in fact I'm making an attemt to shut some people up.

You learn a few words from the 'arabia (thats arabic for arabic dummies)

I thought this country was founded on freedom of religion? Most of this outrage is coming from those who are only Christian by name but haven't been to church since Easter if they even went then. You are predisposed to Christianity in this country even if you don't even go to church. Yet if more Christians or other faiths practiced their faith more sincerely you may demand these rights as well.

I pray at least 5 times every day. I said at least, that is the least amount a Muslim is required to pray. We can pray more if we want. What person who says they believe and fear God would have any problem with someone who wants to pray to their Lord other than a devil?

This is really got me confused...yet it doesn't.

Surah 3 Al-'Imran

64. Say: "O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah. that we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back, say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah.s Will).

65. Ye People of the Book! Why dispute ye about Abraham, when the Law and the Gospel Were not revealed Till after him? Have ye no understanding?

66. Ah! Ye are those who fell to disputing (Even) in matters of which ye had some knowledge! but why dispute ye in matters of which ye have no knowledge? It is Allah Who knows, and ye who know not!

67. Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was true in Faith, and bowed his will to Allah.s (Which is Islam), and he joined not gods with Allah.

68. Without doubt, among men, the nearest of kin to Abraham, are those who follow him, as are also this Messenger and those who believe: And Allah is the Protector of those who have faith.

69. It is the wish of a section of the People of the Book to lead you astray. But they shall lead astray (Not you), but themselves, and they do not perceive!

70. Ye People of the Book! Why reject ye the Signs of Allah, of which ye are (Yourselves) witnesses?

71. Ye People of the Book! Why do ye clothe Truth with falsehood, and conceal the Truth, while ye have knowledge?

72. A section of the People of the Book say: "Believe in the morning what is revealed to the believers, but reject it at the end of the day; perchance they may (themselves) Turn back;

73. "And believe no one unless he follows your religion." Say: "True guidance is the Guidance of Allah. (Fear ye) Lest a revelation be sent to someone (else) Like unto that which was sent unto you? or that those (Receiving such revelation) should engage you in argument before your Lord?" Say: "All bounties are in the hand of Allah. He granteth them to whom He pleaseth: And Allah careth for all, and He knoweth all things."

74. For His Mercy He specially chooseth whom He pleaseth; for Allah is the Lord of bounties unbounded.

75. Among the People of the Book are some who, if entrusted with a hoard of gold, will (readily) pay it back; others, who, if entrusted with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless thou constantly stoodest demanding, because, they say, "there is no call on us (to keep faith) with these ignorant (Pagans)." but they tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it.

76. Nay.- Those that keep their plighted faith and act aright,-verily Allah loves those who act aright.

77. As for those who sell the faith they owe to Allah and their own plighted word for a small price, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter: Nor will Allah (Deign to) speak to them or look at them on the Day of Judgment, nor will He cleans them (of sin): They shall have a grievous penalty.

78. There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: (As they read) you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, "That is from Allah," but it is not from Allah. It is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it!

79. It is not (possible) that a man, to whom is given the Book, and Wisdom, and the prophetic office, should say to people: "Be ye my worshippers rather than Allah.s": on the contrary (He would say) "Be ye worshippers of Him Who is truly the Cherisher of all: For ye have taught the Book and ye have studied it earnestly."

80. Nor would he instruct you to take angels and prophets for Lords and patrons. What! would he bid you to unbelief after ye have bowed your will (To Allah in Islam)?

81. Behold! Allah took the covenant of the prophets, saying: "I give you a Book and Wisdom; then comes to you an apostle, confirming what is with you; do ye believe in him and render him help." Allah said: "Do ye agree, and take this my Covenant as binding on you?" They said: "We agree." He said: "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."

82. If any turn back after this, they are perverted transgressors.

83. Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah.-while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to His Will (Accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back.

84. Say: "We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam)."

85. If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah., never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good).

86. How shall Allah Guide those who reject Faith after they accepted it and bore witness that the Messenger was true and that Clear Signs had come unto them? but Allah guides not a people unjust.

87. Of such the reward is that on them (rests) the curse of Allah, of His angels, and of all mankind;-

88. In that will they dwell; nor will their penalty be lightened, nor respite be (their lot);-

89. Except for those that repent (Even) after that, and make amends; for verily Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

90. But those who reject Faith after they accepted it, and then go on adding to their defiance of Faith,- never will their repentance be accepted; for they are those who have (of set purpose) gone astray.

91. As to those who reject Faith, and die rejecting,- never would be accepted from any such as much gold as the earth contains, though they should offer it for ransom. For such is (in store) a penalty grievous, and they will find no helpers.

. Yet if more Christians or other faiths practiced their faith more sincerely they may demand these rights as well.

My statement has alot to do with the subject. You scrutinized my comments so much you missed the mark. If most Christians practice their religion the way it should be practiced and be more sincere in their faith they would demand equal rights as well. Most of these comments are coming from people who are only Christian by name only and haven't been to church since Easter. I'm not talking about the true Christian who attends service each Sunday, who attends services througout the week. Who are actively involved in various programs sponsored by their church. I am not talking to these individuals I am talking to the hypocrites amongst them just as amongst the muslim communities world wide their are numerous hypocrites.

Furthering my point once again, I stated that I thought that this country was founded upon religious freedom as to why Christians left Europe to the New World (America) they fled because they desired freedom of religion, freedom of expression and freedom from oppression. Is this a misnomer.

I sighted these ayah from Qur'an to clearly distinguish between the true Christian and the hypocrites amongst them. Are their people really getting upset that people want 5 or t10 minutes to pray?

My initial statement has much to do with Muslims praying in the workplace.

To answer your final comment to say that Muslims sold my ancestors into slavery is not a discredit to Islam in any way just as it is not a discredit to Christianity that Christians or rather those who called themselves Christians enslaved them. Does it make one religion better than the other? NO!!! Would you rather I be a disbelieving atheist with no belief in God at all? Your statements imply so. I see so many Christians who are hell bent on converting Muslims, why it is the only real challenge to Christianity in theology it is a clear theological threat to the Christian beliefs. Yet their are so many disbelievers who have no faith in God at all yet they want to come talk to the Muslim. I like talking to Christians.

See the problem is what I am saying is you wouldn't even know I was Muslim. I was born in this country, father served 20 years in the military, went to normal public schools had normal friends from when I lived in Maine all the way down to Florida to California. You would not have any idea I was Muslim. You'd walk into my store everyday and be all polite and nice and cordial. Two faced. This is how I'd define you. Your this evil person hiding behind an avatar then you turn into an entirely different person under the eye of the public. Man I'd wish people like you exhisted in real life. Been Muslim all my life lived in Philadelphia, Boston, Bangor, San Bernardino, Panama City, Macon, and I just cant seem to run into people like you.

Not that I would want to meet you, but I swear your afraid to put a real face behind these words because your two-faced. I'm not going to call you any disrespectful names, never done a person like that in my life. I used to get on other blacks for calling white men "white boy" that's a growm man. Just call me a nigger and get it out. Rag head is a term you used to slight people of 'Arab dissent.

This is and so much more is why the world hates you, because you have no respect for other peoples lives.

Customers don't go running for their lives when they walk in the store and I am observing prayer. What planet are you from?

Now you want to call me a "raghead"? Racial slurs? WOW! Yeah, you tell it like it is under the covers, you wouldn't dare go public and say anything like this. I've been called ever racial slur know and its ironic that they where all invented by people like you.

What about me? I was born in this country? I'd also like to address the misnomer that every Arab is a muslim. That is so untrue. All arabs are not Muslims. In fact the arabs are the minority of Muslims throughout the world!! So it is a hatred towards arabs and Islam is the excuse. What would you say about the numberous white americans who are Muslim? Do you know how many whites (Europeans) are Muslims? The largest Muslim populace worldwide is (surprise) in Indonesia yet we are so focused on thes arabs.



We need to slow down and think about the propoganda machine that you are being grounded into. Remember in the 60's on back COINTELPRO, remember that?

Seriously, I am not being funny this is serious. There used to be a serious watch for African blacks, Malcolm X (EL Hajj Malik Shabazz) had the F.B.I. watching his every move. Huey P. Newton, Eldridge Cleaver (Black Panther Party activists) all of this hoopla going on which a propoganda built on hate. Most people that talk like this don't know anything about these men until after they are dead. Most people don't know anything about Muslims never talked to a Muslim. Most people thought the Nation of Islam was Islam but too stupid to open an encyclopedia and read about Islam. It wont say Elijah Muhammad.

All people generally know that spews their hatred is what happened on 9/11 a disgrace to Islam I must say. Everyone is blaming the entire Islamic world for what 11 men did.

Let me ask you a question. Remember slavery in America? Of course, it was a rhetorical question. If we where alive in the 18th 19th century and a slave revolt had transpired, would you agree with me then that that revolt was justifiable to cut off those white peoples heads, burn their building and that they should never have been caught and hung or burned?

Now as we look back at it 21st century America 9-8-2009 as our sensitivities towards this shameful historical event with remourse what would your answer be. I am asking the same question, do you feel it was justifiable to do so? See we forget our own history, we forget that during the American Revolution it was treason that was being committed, Gen. Washington was considered a rebel, a terrorist but when other countries rise up against their government they are called "radicals, insurgents, terrorists". You see how they play with us with these words? I mean this country won its independence on terrorism. The Boston Tea Party technically was a terrorist act. But we play with words.

What do you mean get a life? Don't tell me to get a life when I have devoted my entire life to the study of various cultures, the injustices upon them. I have been to four different countries outside of this country and my heart is sensitive to the issues of other people, your I see it is not. This is why people like you are so incensitive. This is why your nature is so tyranical!!!



There where some Muslims who sold us into slavery, yet that number wasn't that great. Portuguese controlled the slave trade get your history straight.



When Spaniards where being percecuted they called pleaded for the Muslims from North Africa to assist them and they came. Ruled Spain justly for 500 years. It was the first true cosmopolitan culture in the west where true religious freedom was obtained under Muslim rule. Jews where hated every where else. Christians and Muslims study side by side.



During the Spanish Inquisition The Muslims insulted as Moors because of their black skin where driven out, burned to death if they did not convert to Christianity!! Crosses where erected in masjids, what the heck are you talking about?



When Columbus claimed this country in the name of Christianity for Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand they sent more ships and within 150 yrs. destabilized, massacred, liquidated, murdered, 89 million Native Americans!!







What the hell? What about what has been done to us since weve been here. There where some Muslims who sold us, yet they didnt cut babies from my grandmothers stomachs and whip the religion out of them and hunt us down. Hell that was terrorism!



Rapping our women, this is where all these light skinned blacks came from. Them slave masters forcing themselves on our women.



Jim Crow laws making blacks get off the side walk when whites where approaching. What do you think that does to the mind of a child when his father a man has to get off the side walk for another man (when in fact this individual just might be a scoundrel) because its the law. What does that do to the mind of a man when he sees his father bowing down to another man?



couldn't congregate for an such purpose, the police that where supposed to protect common citizens put dogs on us and beat little black girls with pony tails, sprayed us with fire hoses that ripped their skin!



What a treat lets take the kids and watch this n***** get hung because we "THINK" he rapped a white woman. When in reality she was getting whipped by her husband and she blammed it on a black man so a white mob gets all riled up and drunk kicking in black families doors and snatching up every big ole black n***** they could find beating them damn near to death and hang a few of them what the heck.



I'm tired of scum like you getting online talking this mess but either you don't know or want to forget the horrors of your ancestor yet you are quick to blame others or cry wolf when something happens to you! Thats why you cant show your face online your a coward!!! A real coward and you only exhistence is online.



When my mother went to school it wasn't sugar coated to her, they could have sugar coated it to her. 'Oh Stephanie, there is no room here at our school this year. Maybe next year.'



NO! They said: 'Naw, n****! You can't go to school here, because you a wide nose, nappy head, black, n***** and we don't want n***** around us! but when yall owned us we was in your house warming up your beds, fixing waffles, and rocking them brats to sleep!!!



Went around the world terrorising the whole got damn world. Then want to get mad because someone wants religions rights to pray to God.



SIT YOUR BEHIND DOWN SOMEWHERE BEFORE I MAKE CHANGE!!!!!!!!

Quotation:
"My great hope is that we can enter this new century and this new millennium as the most successful multiracial, multiethnic, multireligious democracy the world has ever known. We will get there through efforts like this -- men, women from all walks of life coming together to respect and celebrate our differences while uniting around the ideals that bind us together, more importantly, as one America." President Bill Clinton, 1997-AUG-14, at the introduction of the "Guidelines on Religious Exercise and Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace," 3



Freedom of religion takes many forms in the workplace. For example:

Sikhs may feel a religious obligation to wear a turban at work.
Male Muslims may wish to wear a beard.
Wiccans may want to work on a Christian holiday in exchange for having one of their Sabbats off work.
A Jew might want to leave work early on Friday night to attend religious services, in exchange for working overtime earlier in the week.
A Christian, employed on rotating shifts, might wish to have every Sunday off work.

As in most cases of civil rights, conflicts sometimes arise between:

an employee's right to practice their religion, and
an employers right to conduct his/her business as they wish, and not be burdened by excess cost due to their employees' religious needs.

The balance between these two rights has shifted in the past and may change in the future:

1972: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was modified to require all medium and large companies to accommodate the religious needs of their employees, except in those cases where the cost would be prohibitive. Companies with 15 or fewer employees were exempted from the law. 10
1995 & 1996: Bills covering freedom of religion in the workplace were introduced to Congress. No action was taken, mostly because of time constraints. 5
1977: The U.S. Supreme Court interpreted the clause of the Civil Rights Act referring to workplace religious freedom. They gutted the law, allowed widespread employer exemption, even in cases involving relatively miniscule cost or difficulty to the employer.
In 1997-JUL, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and Dan Coats (R-IN) introduced a bill called the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 1997 (WRFA; S. 1124).9 A House version was introduced as H.R. 2848 by Rep. Goodling. This would require employers to accommodate their employee's religious practices unless there was "significant difficulty or expense" involved. The bill failed to be passed.
In 1997-AUG the Clinton administration's Office of Personnel Management issued guidelines which cover all civilian-branch employees of the Federal government. 7 The guidelines were prepared by a wide-ranging coalition of groups, including such diverse organizations as the People for the American Way, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Christian Coalition. The guidelines clarify that: "Federal employees may engage in personal religious expression to the greatest extent possible, consistent with workplace efficiency and the requirements of law."
"...federal employers may not discriminate in employment on the basis of religion."
All government agencies "must reasonably accommodate employees' religious practices." 3

President Clinton sent a memorandum on these guidelines to the heads of Federal departments and agencies. He commented that the principles in the guidelines are all "but variants or applications of a single rule of neutrality and fairness -- that agencies shall treat employees with the same respect and consideration, regardless of their religious beliefs. Whether by allowing religious speech, preventing religious coercion or harassment, or making accommodations to religious practice, the federal government must act to ensure that the federal workplace is generous to followers of all religions, as well as to followers of none." 11 The Department of the Treasury published excerpts from the Guidelines with numerous examples of their application. 4

1998-JAN: The WRFA was introduced in the House as H.R. 2948 by William Goodling. It was introduced in the Senate as S. 1124 by John Kerry (D-MA) and Dan Coats (R-IN). 8 It was endorsed by the Agudath Israel of America; American Jewish Committee; American Jewish Congress; Americans for Democratic Action; Anti-Defamation League; Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs; Center for Jewish and Christian Values; Central Conference of American Rabbis; Christian Legal Society; Church of Scientology International; Council on Religious Freedom; General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Guru Gobind Singh Foundation; Hadassah-WZOA; International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists; Jewish Council for Public Affairs; National Association of Evangelicals; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA; National Council of Jewish Women; National Jewish Coalition; National Jewish Coalition; National Jewish Democratic Council; National Sikh Center; North American Council for Muslim Women; People for the American Way; Presbyterian Church (USA), Washington Office; Rabbinical Council of America; Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; Traditional Values Coalition; Union of American Hebrew Congregations; Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations; United Church of Christ Office for Church in Society; United Methodist Church General Board on Church and Society; and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.The bills did not pass.
1999-SEP-29: WRFA was re-introduced into the Senate. Senator Brownback commented: "This legislation is carefully crafted and strikes an appropriate balance between religious accommodation, while ensuring that an undue burden is not forced upon American businesses." Senator Kerry hopes that the bill will be passed by the 106th congress. He notes that if the Congress votes in favor of the bill, it would simply be restoring the intent of the 1972 legislation. The senate bill, S.1668, has been referred to the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee. It has a total of 5 sponsors.

The Coalition for Religious Freedom in the Workplace is promoting the bill. It includes 37 organizations representing various wings of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism. The Coalition apparently does not have a web page.