A 43-year-old man has been killed outside a Philadelphia mosque in an execution-style shooting that’s been condemned by Pennsylvania’s governor.

Officers found the man, later identified as Raheem Jefferson, unresponsive on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds on Tuesday afternoon, July 30, including at least one to his head and multiple to his torso, according to the Philadelphia Police Department. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital shortly afterward.

The killer fired at least 17 shots using a large-caliber semi-automatic weapon, police Chief Inspector Scott Small said a news conference on Wednesday, July 31. Security footage reviewed by police shows Jefferson and another man walking to the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society for prayer service when a suspect approaches from behind before opening fire, Small said.

“It’s all caught on camera,” Scott told reporters. “The shooter stands over the victim from just a few feet away and continues firing shots at this 43-year-old victim while he lays on the parking lot. So clearly, an execution-type homicide.”

No arrests have been made in the case and police haven’t determined a motive but Small said it appears Jefferson was the intended target of the crime.

The shooter was seen getting into a vehicle and fleeing the parking lot while wearing dark-colored clothing, Small said.

A $20,000 reward has been offered for anyone with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

The shooting happened at the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society mosque, established in 1989 in the lower northeast neighborhood of Kensington. Its goal is to “maintain the Islamic Identity and to protect and sustain the Islamic Community in Philadelphia,” according to its website.

Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned the incident on X and shared his condolences.

“Violence outside of a house of worship is deeply painful and traumatizing for those simply showing up to worship and practice their faith,” Shapiro wrote. “As an investigation into this killing proceeds, I’m praying for Philadelphia’s Al-Aqsa Islamic Society community, a place I’ve been several times, and hoping they find peace in each other and in their faith.”

Source: USA Today

Manal Fkihi, a 25-year-old journalist, is fighting for her right to work without compromising her identity. Her application for a press card was rejected by the CCIJP (Commission de la Carte d’Identité des Journalistes Professionnels), a commission to issue ID cards for professional journalists in France, citing a requirement that ID photos meet the same standard as passports, which prohibit head coverings. Fkihi argues that this rule is discriminatory and that a press card is a professional card, not a form of ID.

France forbids head coverings in passport photos, unlike Britain where they are permitted for religious reasons.

Fkihi’s lawyer, Slim Ben Achour, plans to appeal the decision to the CCIJP and, if necessary, to the administrative court.

Fkihi says that she was once offered a television journalism job, on the condition that she did not wear her headscarf. “What is crazy is that it was for an Arabic-speaking post. They want our skills but without our identities,” she said, declining to name the media organization.

France’s laws on secularism have been criticized by some rights groups, who argue that they target Muslims. While there is no national legislation covering non-state workers, some organizations have created their own rules. Fkihi believes that these rules are unfair and that she should be able to work without compromising her identity.

The issue is not just about Fkihi’s right to work, but also about the marginalization of veiled women in the profession. By appealing the decision, Fkihi hopes to combat this marginalization and pave the way for other veiled women to succeed in their careers.

Source: U.S. News & World Report

At Al-Noor Institute, a variety of activities are undertaken beyond the primary congregational mission. Seminars are hosted, and community service volunteering is done to assist the homeless and those in need, all while upholding the institute’s religious ethos focused on unifying the community. With an open-door policy, individuals from all backgrounds are welcomed, providing a conducive environment to explore Islam through reflecting on the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) and his Ahlulbayt (A.S).

Historical Background

In the year 1990, a group of young people, aiming to fill a void, decided to start regular lectures in English by distinguished Muslim scholars, followed by a question & answer session.

At the time of its inception, this was quite a unique and, in many ways, revolutionary concept as there were hardly any facilities available in those days that were dedicated solely to the younger generation, especially in English.

The program continued regularly every Friday for several years at the Idara-e-Jaaferiya in Tooting and was immensely successful.

In 1996, the program moved to St. Phillips Church Hall in Norbury and in 1997 a charity named Al-Noor was established to give the program a more formal structure.

From 1997-1999 the Friday programs continued at St. Stephens Church Hall. A separate room was utilized during the lectures/seminars to provide Islamic classes for Children.

In July of 1999, Al Noor moved its present accommodation at London Road Norbury and Al-Noor Institute formally came into being with a view to broadening the services and activities that could be offered to the community.

Mission Statement

Al-Noor has a very clearly laid out mission statement, which is as follows:

• To establish knowledge about Islam amongst Muslims & non-Muslims and to provide a complimentary service to that already provided by existing Islamic Institutions.
• To promote the spirit of true Islam in a friendly atmosphere where both brothers & sisters are encouraged to develop in the Islamic way of life.
• To protect Islamic identity through the teachings of Islam.
• To develop an Islamic environment within which stimulating religious services and programs can be provided, complemented by social, educational & porting activities.
• To provide access to knowledgeable persons for guidance on all Islamic matters, thoughts & issues which affect the Muslim community.

Contacts

• Address: 2nd Floor, 1517A, London Road, Norbury, SW16 4AE, UK
• Phone: +44 7765 746537
• Email: info@alnoor.org.uk
• Website: https://alnoor.org.uk/

One of the primary concerns of Muslim parents in the West is the religious identity of their children. Many parents wonder what the secret is to raising a child with imān (faith) in a society in which being Muslim can be challenging. Approximately 70% of people in the U.S. identify as Christian, nearly 23% identify as having no religion, and less than 1% identify as Muslim. Although Muslim families transmit their religious affiliation to their children at higher rates than Christians in America, approximately 20% of those raised as Muslims do not identify as Muslim in adulthood.

In this cultural context, where Christianity is the majority religion and the philosophies of secularism, liberalism, feminism, capitalism, and atheism are pervasive and influential, Muslims who desire to transmit Islam to their children need to understand how to socialize their children to develop a healthy Islamic identity.

Exactly what should parents do to inculcate Islamic beliefs, values, and behaviors in their children? What type of schools should they send their children to? What effects do friends have on their children’s religious identity? What types of parent-child relationships and parenting practices facilitate the development of faith? These are the types of questions that parents ask and need answers to, yet relatively little is known about the process of religious identity development in Muslim youth in America.

This paper provides an overview of theories about the mechanisms by which religion is conveyed and passed down to children in America. Although the overwhelming majority of research has been conducted with adherents of other faiths in the United States, the insights from existing research are invaluable in constructing theoretical models and a roadmap to better understand Islamic identity development of Muslim American youth.

Source: Yaqeen Institute