The filmmaker who produced an incendiary, anti-Muslim movie that stirred extremists Tuesday to storm the U.S. embassy in Egypt and may be linked to the fatal attack on the U.S. ambassador in Libya may have gone into hiding, as doubts rose as to his true identity.

Following yesterday’s riots, a California man calling himself Sam Bacile took credit for making the film “Innocence of the Muslims” and identified himself as an Israeli Jew in two news interviews. In an interview with the Associated Press, he called Islam “a cancer.”

But a search of public records and inconsistencies in Bacile’s own accounts, as well as information from a radical Christian who helped produced the movie all suggest that “Sam Bacile” is a pseudonym and is not Israeli but an Arab Christian.

“I’ve met him twice. He is not a citizen of Israel. He is in hiding,” Steve Klein, a member of a far-right anti-Islamic Christian group who says he helped with the film’s production, told ABC News.

RIYADH, June 25 (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia will enter women athletes in the Olympics for the first time ever in London this summer, the Islamic kingdom’s London embassy said on Sunday.

Human rights groups had called on the International Olympic Committee to bar Saudi Arabia from competing in London, citing its failure ever to send a woman athlete to a Games and its ban on sports in girls’ state schools.

Powerful Muslim clerics in the ultra-conservative state have repeatedly spoken out against the participation of girls and women in sports.

In Saudi Arabia women hold a lower legal status to men, are banned from driving and need a male guardian’s permission to work, travel or open a bank account.

Under King Abdullah, however, the government has pushed for them to have better education and work opportunities and allowed them to vote in future municipal elections, the only public polls held in the kingdom.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is looking forward to its complete participation in the London 2012 Olympic Games through the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, which will oversee the participation of women athletes who can qualify for the games,” said a statement published on the embassy website.

In April the head of the kingdom’s General Presidency of Youth Welfare, the body that regulates sports in Saudi Arabia, said it would not prevent women from competing but that they would not have official government endorsement.

The IOC said on Monday that talks with the Saudis were “ongoing” and that “we are working to ensure the participation of Saudi women at the Games in London”.

The head of the kingdom’s Olympic mission, Khalid al-Dakheel, told Reuters on Sunday evening however he was unaware of any developments allowing women to participate.

Top Saudi clerics, who hold government positions and have always constituted an important support base for the ruling al-Saud royal family, have spoken against female participation in sports.

In 2009 a senior cleric said girls risked losing their virginity by tearing their hymens if they took part in energetic sport.

Perhaps the most likely woman candidate to compete under the Saudi flag in London, equestrian Dalma Malhas, represented the kingdom at the junior Olympics in Singapore in 2010, but without official support or recognition.

Physical education is banned in girls’ state schools in the kingdom, but Saudi Arabia’s only female deputy minister, Noura al-Fayez, has written to Human Rights Watch saying there is a plan to introduce it. (Reporting by Angus McDowall and Asma Alsharif; editing by Andrew Roche)

Members of the Muslim Brotherhood will take part in protests across Egypt to demonstrate against sweeping new powers taken by the ruling military council.

Over the weekend, the generals issued two decrees dissolving the Islamist-dominated parliament and claiming all legislative power for themselves.

MPs are also expected to try to enter the parliament building on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, with counting in the presidential election run-off complete, both candidates are claiming victory.

Mohammed Mursi, the head of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), said on Monday that he had won 52% of the vote.

Mr Mursi promised to work “hand-in-hand with all Egyptians for a better future, freedom, democracy, development and peace”.

But former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq’s campaign team said their figures showed that he was ahead and that the Brotherhood had “terrorised” voters.

Independent observers and state media believe Mr Mursi has won by a margin of about three to four percentage points, or about a million votes.

The official result is scheduled to be announced on Thursday.

‘Million-man march’

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) appears to be working on the assumption that Mr Mursi will win, reports the BBC’s Jon Leyne in Cairo.

It has made a series decrees and appointments designed to reduce or constrain the power of the president, and entrench the power of the military.

Despite opposition talk of a “military coup”, it may end up being a messy compromise that everyone can live with, our correspondent says.

Voting over the weekend to choose a successor to Hosni Mubarak, who was forced to step down by last year’s uprising, was overshadowed by two Scaf decrees.

The first ordered the immediate dissolution of parliament following Thursday’s Supreme Constitutional Court ruling that the law governing the recent elections for the lower house was unconstitutional because party members had been allowed to contest seats in the lower house reserved for independents.

Troops were deployed outside the parliament building before the decree was issued on Saturday to prevent MPs gaining access. The FJP and the ultraconservative Salafist Nour party dominate both chambers.

The second decree, which was published after the polls closed on Sunday, amended the March 2011 constitutional declaration and gave the generals complete control over legislation and military affairs until fresh parliamentary elections are held.

The Scaf will also play a significant role in running the 100-member assembly that will draft the country’s new constitution.

The new president – who will take office without the oversight of a parliament and without a permanent constitution to define his powers or duties – will be able to form and dismiss a government, ratify and reject laws, and declare war, but only with Scaf’s approval.

Muslim Brotherhood members are set to protest against the decrees on Tuesday by taking part in a “million-man march” – the name they give for almost any demonstration in Egypt, our correspondent adds.

At the same time, MPs may attempt to enter parliament to protest against its dissolution. Soldiers have been given orders not to let them in.

Source: BBC

MIAMI (AP) — The Muslim holiday of Ramadan falls during the long, hot days of August this year, and Muslim Americans are getting ready to accommodate the daylight fasts required during the month-long period with adjustments in their schedules and eating habits.

It can be even tougher for Muslims in America than for their counterparts in majority-Muslim countries, where business slows down during Ramadan and people take it easier during the day, says Dr. Elizabeth Rourke, an internist at Boston Medical Center. (more…)

According to Islamic teachings health fully encompasses complete physical, mental, social well-being
or a person and society, which must be safeguarded. Not through the maintenance and protection
of a health preserving regime at the entity level but through the development of protective health
and encouraging family and social system. Islam introduces the concept of preventing health and no
substance and practices that seriously endanger the health can be allowed in Islamic system.

There is need to change the society according to the divine commandments for the betterment of general health
and help in solving health related medical issues which occur due to the social practices. This must be
tackled socially through underlining principles of Quran. Islam promotes comprehensive ways towards
prevention and hygiene.

According to the principles lay down by Quran, total ban on alcoholic products, meat of dead animals,
pork, blood, drugs, tobacco, etc. should be declared prohibited. Having proper bathing after impurities,
doing Wudhu 5 times on visible parts of body for prayers, cleaning under area after urinating or after
defecation, washing and cleaning hands after getting in touch with some unclean things and moreover,
protection of inside mouth cavity by using miswak (brushing of teeth), etc. are the preventive measures
that Islam discussed for the physical health as well as for spiritual well being.

The fundamental duties of Islam such as Iman (Faith), Salaat (Prayers), Saum (Fasting), Zakat (Charity),
and Hajj (Pilgrimage) are the basic pillars of Islam for safeguarding the society to combat with practices
that are harmful for healthy mind and body. A person with strong Iman or faith in Allah abstains from
the wrong doings and what that are prohibited in Quran. Salaat is a wonderful means to abstain from
bad habits and for the strengthening of faith.

Saum or fasting purifies and detoxifies the body systems and aids in the improvement of mental health and well being of a person. It also brings people closer
and they can rejuvenate and cherish the celebrations of Eid festival. Zakat or charity is a must in Islam
and it helps in the circulation of money in the society. It is an excellent means to alleviate poverty in
the country. Hajj or pilgrimage is mandatory on those to perform who can afford and it teaches the
person to be more responsive towards his or her duties. It helps in cleaning the person inside out and is
a combination of all the obligatory duties in Islam.

With the help of above passage you can clearly understand that Islam focuses not only the exterior but
inner beautification of a person to become more productive and responsible. Islam is the code of life
and whomsoever, understand this code leads towards peace and harmony in life.

Ramlah Bint Abi Sufyan was brave and fearless creature. She was the one who challenged her father Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, one of the chieftains of Makkah. She believed in one God and rejected the idolatrous ways of Quresh. She was married to Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh who brought Islam along with her.

Abu Sufyan, her father, tried everything in his might to bring them back, his daughter and her husband, to worship deities and idolatry. But, they were both too headstrong and their faith never moved an inch.

Abu Sufyan remained unhappy and dejected due to his daughter and husband’s acceptance of Islam. Ramlah and her husband were treated harshly and life in Makkah became miserable and unbearable for them. When the first group of Muslims was allowed to migrate to Abyssinia, they were among those who left behind.

Upon finding the news of Muslims, fleeing away to Abyssinia made the chieftains of Makkah including Abu Sufyan very angry. The tribal chiefs tried their best to bring them back but the Abyssinian king Negus also embraced Islam and gave protection to the migrated Muslims. Ramlah Bint Abi Sufyan also known as Umm Habibah and her husband took refuge in Abyssinia. But her problems were not coming to an end yet.

Ubaydallah ibn Jahsh accepted Christianity. It was a terrible blow for Ramlah Bint Abi Sufyan. The brave lady refused to live with a non Muslim and divorced him. She rejected the idea of going to back to her father’s place, a citadel of Kuffar. So, she stayed in Abyssinia for the next ten years alone with her daughter.

She was rewarded in a great way for all her bearings and sufferings. Allah’s Apostle sent her the proposal of marriage. Umm Habibah is one of the Umhatal Momineen and much respected wife of our beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallalaho alayhi wasalam.