Iftar with an African American family
June 29th, 20160 The El-Amins having iftarDETROIT — "God, we thank you for the food that has been prepared for the nurturing, for the healing of our bodies," prayed Maurice El-Amin, hands folded together, in ritualistic gesture. "Amen," his family responded collectively at the Ramadan dinner table. "Bismillah (in the name of Allah)," said another, as...
Saudi-led air strike kills 10 Yemeni civilians
June 28th, 20160 A Saudi airstrike in Sanaa, March 2015SNAA — A Saudi-led coalition air strike killed 10 Yemeni civilians and wounded at least another 15 in the southern province of Lahj on Tuesday, residents said, a day after bombing attacks by ISIS that killed 45 others.Yemen is more than 15 months into a war in which the Saudi-led coalition has...
State Rep Julie Plawecki dies
June 26th, 20160 DEARBORN HEIGHTS - State Representative Julie Plawecki, 54, has passed away. Her unexpected death occurred on Saturday, June 25 when she was hiking with her daughter in Oregon, where she suffered a heart attack, according to our sources. Plawecki was serving her first term in Michigan's 11th House District, which covers...
Maronite Patriarch Rai to start U.S. tour June 29
June 24th, 20160 Patriarch RaiDETROIT — Bechara Boutros al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, will embark on a U.S. tour at the end of the month, where he will visit several churches throughout the country.Rai will start his trip in Detroit at the Church of St. Maron on June 29. He will also lead services at churches in Dayton,...
Local Muslims raise $35,000 to feed hungry in Wayne County
June 24th, 20160 Muslims participate in the Hanini annual food drive.DEARBORN — The Ramadan spirit was in full swing Saturday, June 18, at the Hanini Outreach Center's annual food drive, where more than $35,000 was raised and a total of 500,000 pounds of food collected to feed needy families, seniors, veterans and refugees in Wayne County. Each year...
Henry Ford College President Stan Jensen: ‘Great things ahead’
June 24th, 20160 DEARBORN — Future Driven. There appears to be truth behind the slogan of Henry Ford College (HFC), as the campus has plenty to look forward to in the coming years. In an interview with The AANews, President Stan Jensen discussed the re-branded college's turn-around since he began his tenure three years ago and the optimistic...
Group of women establishing social services at Islamic Institute
June 24th, 20160 IIOK employees packing lunches for the Meat up and Eat up Program - Photo by The AANewsDEARBORN — Local mosques are often urged to address social issues beyond religious services and funerals. A group of spirited women at the Islamic Institute of Knowledge is answering the call. C-ASIST is providing free, healthy meals for children...
Church members assist local refugee families
June 24th, 20160 Local children partake in "Backyard Kids Club" at a church member's home in east Dearborn - Courtesy of Pastor Jonathan Swift.DEARBORN — A local church has extended a hand to refugee families in need of assistance. Christ Community Church in Dearborn, which has a congregation of about 50 members, has worked with ACCESS to identify...
Michigan fireworks sales continue to grow while safety concerns rise
June 23rd, 20160 LANSING – Since the state legalized louder and larger fireworks in 2011, the sales have increased by more than 50 percent according to the data from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Michigan only permitted low impact fireworks, like sparklers, in the past. It led in the powerful...
Dearborn schools plans to raise recycling awareness
June 23rd, 20160 DEARBORN- Students of Bryant Middle and Long elementary schools are taking part in an experimental education project called Dearborn Education and Action on Recycling, which is sponsored by the City of Dearborn, Dearborn Public Schools, Recycle Ann Arbor and The Ecology Center. The pilot program was first...
Dearborn Heights Residents worried about discolored water
June 23rd, 20160 DEARBORN HEIGHTS – Residents in one Dearborn Heights neighborhood have been dealing with yellowed water for about a month and living off bottled water. "Flint pops into my head... yellow water... it's scary," Andrea Pagli, a concerned Dearborn Heights mom, said. She said she has been buying bottled...
Woman in hijab claimed to have bomb during Bank robbery in Taylor
June 23rd, 20160 TAYLOR – Police are searching for a woman who claimed to have a bomb during a bank robbery on Thursday, June 23. Taylor Police is seeking the public’s help in identifying a female suspect caught on surveillance during a bank robbery at approximately 9:45am. The suspect entered the Monroe Bank...
Local Muslims raise $35,000 to feed hungry in Wayne County
June 23rd, 20160 DEARBORN – The Ramadan spirit was in full swing Saturday, June 18, at the Hanini Outreach Center’s annual food drive, where more than $35,000 was raised and a total of 500,000 pounds of food collected to feed needy families, seniors, veterans and refugees in Wayne County. Each year the Hanini Outreach...
Looking at the characteristics of the region served by the Iman Sadr Foundation
June 23rd, 20160 Introduction: This is the third part of a three-part series. The first two parts examined how the Imam Sadr Foundation is helping improve mental as well as physical health in Lebanon and how it works to empower women. This article looks at how and why the ISF came about and what it has achieved. In the 1960s, Imam Moussa Sadr...
Interfaith leaders honor terror victims at Islamic Center
June 22nd, 20160 Interfaith leaders at the Islamic Center of America, June, 20DEARBORN — At America’s largest mosque, interfaith activists representing multiple religious communities gathered on Monday to mourn and honor the victims of terror in Orlando.During the prayer services at the Islamic Center of America, clerics also paid tribute to the......
Non-Muslims share fasting experience: Senator Dave Knezek
June 17th, 20160 DEARBORN — Many in the Detroit Metro region’s large Muslim population are fasting during holy month of Ramadan, but they’re not alone. A number of non-Muslims are fasting as well. Some tell the AANews that they’ve been observing Ramadan for years, while others said that this year marks their first time on the journey. These are...
Non-Muslims share fasting experience: Joel Geffen
June 17th, 20160 DEARBORN — Many in the Detroit Metro region’s large Muslim population are fasting during holy month of Ramadan, but they’re not alone. A number of non-Muslims are fasting as well. Some tell the AANews that they’ve been observing Ramadan for years, while others said that this year marks their first time on the journey. These are...
Dearborn Fire Department ranked high by ISO
June 17th, 20160 DEARBORN — An organization that evaluates fire safety standards in communities across the U.S. gave high marks to the Dearborn Fire Department. The ranking by the International Organization for Standardization is based on the department's speed in response time, training, equipment, organization, staffing, station locations, work...
Muslim community reacts to Orlando shooting
June 17th, 20160 Muslims gather at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights to mourn the Orlando tragedy.DEARBORN — Ramadan is supposed to be a peaceful time of the year.Just as Muslim Americans were getting into the full swing of the holy month — a time meant to observe fast, heal and lead charitable efforts — events abruptly changed......
Gay Arabs traumatized by the Orlando massacre
June 17th, 20160 DEARBORN — An Arab American man was searched invasively at the entrance of Detroit's Gay Pride festival this weekend, following the Orlando shooting at Pulse night club on Sunday. "What are you here for?" a guard asked the 27-year-old Dearborn man. "I'm here for pride," he replied. Bassam (not his real name) is one of many gay...
Beaumont holds largest iftar in hospital’s history
June 17th, 20160 El-Sayed with Beaumont executives and physicians. Hospital officials said the purpose of the iftar was to bring the community together for more understanding about Ramadan and the Islamic faith. It was also an opportunity for colleagues to spend time together in an environment that is meaningful to a significant population of the......
Muslims flock to ‘Heights Hot Dogs’ during Ramadan
June 17th, 20160 "Heights Hot Dogs" is located in the parking lot of The Lava Lounge in Dearborn Heights.DEARBORN HEIGHTS — For years, Muslims have crowded local bakeries for sahoor to indulge in meat pies and cheese manushis before sunrise. But this year in Dearborn Heights, it appears Muslims are craving good old-fashioned American hot...
FBI investigating threats against Islamic Center of America
June 17th, 20160 DEARBORN — Following the mass shooting in Orlando on June 12, the Islamic Center of America was the target of a social media threat via Twitter. "People are really scared for their kids and their families," Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News, said. Siblani was notified of the tweets, which listed an address for the......
