Mr and Mrs Ali and Lila Awkal
Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts – directors
Real-Estate Agent – Investor – Landlord – AliAwkal@hotmail.com
- P.O. Box 282 Feeding Hills, MA 01030
- (413) 374-6402
Ali Awkal, “actively scouted parcels around the region for months” for a cemetery because “… now there is a large influx of people from India, Pakistan and the middle Eastern area and the community [Ummah] is getting big in number. That is why we need a cemetery.”
Ali Awkal
NOTES AND QUOTES – Ali Awkal
There is an increasing need for a local Islamic cemetery, as the area’s Muslim population has grown in recent years, Awkal said, noting that the closest current cemetery is in Enfield, Conn.
“There has been a Muslim society in the United States for the past 200 years, but now there is a large influx of people from India, Pakistan and the Middle Eastern area, and the community is getting big in number. That is why we need a cemetery,” he said.
Unlike many Christian burials, Muslims do not embalm their dead, Awkal said, noting that Jews adhere to a similar practice. Muslims are often buried with no more than a shroud, rather than a coffin, he said.
SO DO NOT PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH, YOU EVIL MAN…
Ali Awkal, a West Springfield real estate agent and member of the ISWM, said he has scouted parcels around the region for months.
Awkal said Islamic burial rituals are simple and their cemeteries unobtrusive. “We don’t have mausoleums and huge headstones,” he said.
“Grave markers are a maximum of 12 inches high. When a Muslim dies, the body is wrapped in a sheet and buried immediately without a casket and the grave sites are slightly raised, he said.”
“Kafirs have a very bad image of Islam. There is propaganda that says Muslims are terrorists,” he said. “There are Muslims who are radicals and they don’t have any place in my heart. There are more Muslims who want to pray, raise their families and contribute to their communities. We leave the dirty work up to the other more pious Muslims.”
ABDUL HAMIN AWKAL – Abdul is currently on death row in Ohio for killing his wife and brother-in-law. his brother Ali is lucky he was not prosecuted as an accessory since he assisted in numerous financial tractions transferring Abdul’s marital assets around.
Abdul Hamin Awkal
Awkal-Parole-Board-Report-2012 – Abdul Hamin Awkal arrived in the United States from Lebanon in 1984. He was twenty four years old. As he arrived at the airport, Awkal was welcomed by his brother Ali Awkal.
Awkal’s first act was to punch his brother Ali and ask him why he was so late.
Ali brought Awkal to the family’s residence in Detroit, Michigan. There, Awkal allegedly sat on the couch for four months as if he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Finally, his brother Ali was able to help Awkal find a job as a dishwasher and gas station attendant.
In 1985, Awkal was accused of stealing from his employer. Although he was not responsible for the loss, Awkal allegedly suffered a mental breakdown. He became hysterical, began to curse, broke some items, vomited and later collapsed. Awkal was taken to Detroit Medical Center in a straighljacket and later released to Ali’s care. However, he did not follow through with a psychiatrist.
Later in 1989, after getting married to Latife and relocating to Cleveland, Awkal reportedly went to Cleveland Metropolitan Hospital complaining of numbness down his side. Although he was referred to see a psychiatrist, Awkal did not follow up. He later sought counseling in connection to his marital problems, but declined to take medication.
On January 7,1991, Awkal murdered his wife Latife and brother-in-law Mahmoud at the Cuyahoga County Domestic Court building. He was later indicted by the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury. During the arraignment, Awkal plead Not Guilty and Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. While waiting for his competency and sanity evaluations, Awkal began to have hallucinations about his wife. Awkal was found to be sane at the time of thecrime.
Aerospace Engineer Meher M. Awkal
Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts – Director
Maher Awkal, of Springfield, is a 39-year-old Springfield resident and engineer. He was born in Beirut (Aramoun, Mont-Liban) Lebanon and came here with his seven siblings because his parents “did not want any of us to get involved in any of the conflicts as we were growing up and wanted to give us a better opportunity.”
NOTES AND QUOTES – Meher Awkal
“I grew up in an Islamic culture with people hating each other. I was shot at by snipers. Several people attempted to kidnap me as a kid. I migrated here to avoid all of that. …
I don’t want to destroy this country. … I want to help this country prosper. … This country has been good to me and it’s my country as much as Russell Baker’s and anybody else’s country,” Awkal said.
Springfield’s Maher M. Awkal, an Islamic Society board member, wrote a letter to the editor of The Republican on behalf of the society about the Baker issue.
It reads in part: “We invite and encourage Mr. Baker to visit a mosque and speak with people of knowledge about Islam and Muslims in order to learn about them. Russell’s comments resonate with those of Terry Jones’ rants of ignorance, hate, and bigotry. Through education we can overcome this Islamophobic trend. Through education we can learn to tolerate and understand each other without being offensive and without repeating some of the dark history our country has had to endure.”
Awkal, in a telephone interview, said he understands the right to free speech, but said citizens also need to be mindful of hate and bigotry.
“To use a wide brush and to really portray hate against a certain religion, or sect, is just wrong as a human being. We shouldn’t be portraying that. We have to be mindful of other people’s feelings,” Awkal, 38, said.
Where were you on 9/11?
I was at work when 9/11 happened and I was 29 years old. I did see the Twin Towers being struck but only on the Internet from work.
My first reaction was it was an accident and I started thinking if the aircraft had an engine malfunction that involved the engines my company designs and manufactures or is it one of our competitors. As the story developed it was clear that this was not accident.
It brought me back to the early 1980s and the conflicts I lived through in Beirut. I automatically started thinking of survival and what I need to do to ensure my family is protected.
Prior to the attacks, were you very public about your religion?
No, I was not very public about my religion prior to the attacks. However after the attacks I felt the need to educate people about true Islam.
I want to ensure people know that our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) did not teach anyone to carry out such evil acts. As a Muslim it is my duty to ensure people have the right picture about Islam.
MORE FROM ALI AWKAL – on Christian and Jewish burial practices.
“Unlike many Christian burials, Muslims do not embalm their dead, Awkal said, noting that Jews adhere to a similar practice. Muslims are often buried with no more than a shroud, rather than a coffin, Ali Awkal said.”
ALIAAWKAL@HOTMAIL.COM
76.119.117.218
Submitted on 2012/08/15 at 7:54 pm
I WROTE ABOUT THIS EVIL MAN WHO IS WRITING THESE LIES, I WAS NEVER INTERESTED IN PROMOTING THE SUNNA OR ANY RELIGIOUS IDEAS, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A CEMETARY SPACEAND THATIS IT.
I RESPECT ALL RELIGIONS INCLUDING JEWISH, CHRISTIAN, BUDISM AND ALL OTHER RELIGION, SO DO NOT PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH, YOU EVIL MAN.
Submitted on 2011/11/11 at 8:03 pm
I don’t think you have a job to do , always writing negative things about me , about Dr Hazratji, about our community, we moslem respect every body all religions, and people like you disrupt the piece between religions, learn this and this is in every religion (accept to others what you accept to your self) if you believe in that you are a good person and will not hurt any body.
This is the last thing I will write to you, if you continue your silly ways of prescribing others you are wrong and it is a waste of time to talk to you.
Meet June’s Ummah Representative – Mr. Awkal
ALIAAWKAL@HOTMAIL.COM
Submitted on 2011/11/07 at 9:48 pm
My name is ALI A AWKAL I never discussed jewish burial practice, besides I respect the fewish religion and jews, but this subject never concern me, All what is written above is wrong somebody wants to create a problem between Moslem and marine this is unaccetptable ans all above article is lies.
Please post this reply.
ALIAAWKAL@HOTMAIL.COM
Submitted on 2011/11/07 at 7:37 am
I ALREADY WROTE TWO COMMENTS AND UP TILL NOW IT IS NOT POSTED YET, MY COMMENT MUST BE POSTED ON THIS PAGE, BECAUSE THIS IS AFFECTING MY REPUTATION AS A REALTOR AND ALSO AS CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATE, ME AND MY FAMILY APPRECIATE AND LOVE THIS COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY.
WHO EVER WROTE THE ABOVE MENTIONED LIES SHOULD BE PUNISHED BECAUSE ALL HIS INTENTION IS TO POISON THE RELATION SHIP BETWEEN ARAB AND THE USA.
ALIAAWKAL@HOTMAIL.COM
Submitted on 2011/11/06 at 7:23 am
THE ABOVE LIES THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE NAME OF ALI A AWKAL OR OTHERS OF THE AWKAL FAMILY ARE LIES , ALSO I AM BUYING A PIECE OF LAND NOT TO ALI HAZRATJI, THE COMMUNITY ARE BUYING THE LAND FOR THE USE AS CEMETARY ONLY.
ALIAAWKAL@HOTMAIL.COM
Submitted on 2011/11/05 at 11:07 pm
tHIS IS FROM ALI A AWKAL OUR BUSINESS WAS NOT TO PROMOTE THE SUNNA OR ANY RELIGION, OUR BUSINESS WAS 100% BUSINESS.
I WAS NOT ALSO LOOKING OR DISCUSSING ANY JEWISH BURIAL, I WA LOOKING FOR A CEMETARY FOR THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA BECAUSE IT IS GETTING BIGGER.
TRUE MUSLIMS RESPECT ALL RELIGIONS INCLUDING JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS.
ALIAAWKAL@HOTMAIL.COM
76.119.117.218
Submitted on 2011/11/05 at 10:52 pm
this is from ali a awkal, I never said that killing marine was a brave act at all, on the contrary it is a cowardly act, besides I was in the army and what this country offered me personally my first country could not, so who ever wrote the above article is lier and I want yahoo to investigate these lies, I personally loud the USA and its people and the generosity of this country to everybody.
Please I am asking yahoo to stop this type of entries that is lies, I and my family in massachusetts loud this and appreciate this country and who ever wrote the above article is a lier and I am going to ask my lawyer to fight these lies
Regards
ALI A AWKAL
