Documentary Filming In London, Paris, Amsterdam, Spain
Promoted to the frontpage
We need passionate participants.
In the West, Islamic Religiosity believes that it must offer a political vision. This is an idea perpetuated not just by the politicos but also traditionalists like Abdal Hakim Murad. This explains why even sophisticated DC Muslims are waiting for the "third way." (Beyond Democrat and Republican; Beyond Labor and Tory). Keep waiting, guys. Need I remind you Nader lost? Need I remind you Galloway is, and always will be, just an MP?
This phenomenon occurs in the Muslim world as well, in a slightly different form, as pointed out by Sami Zubeidah in
He's saying that in the Muslim world people think that Islam is a political force as well.
Note, please note, that my observation has to do with Muslims in the West. Zubeidah's observation has to do with Muslims in the Muslim world. We need to be more emphatic in making this distinction; not because the West and Muslim world are in a clash, but because Muslim people in the West live in pluralist and democratic societies; while Muslim people in the Muslim world live in homogenous and non-democratic societies. Those Muslim nations which are pluralist and democratic, do not have Muslims who try to assert Islam as a political force (Malaysia).
You know, when this site started out, we aimed to cover Islam globally. We still plan on doing that. However, this should not mean that I believe (I certainly don't), that how I think Muslims should organize themselves in America and UK is going to be in any way similar to how Muslims should organize themselves in dictatorial countries which 99% of the people are Muslim. More importantly, Muslims in the West need to realize that we are not going to be able to organize ourselves here the way Muslims in Muslim majority parts of the world do. Muslim in Muslim majority parts of the world can afford to sit there and try and fashion a "Muslim" political theory. We in the West need not do the same, and then try to convince DC think tanks to buy into the "Islamic vision of social justice." All we need to do is "social justice" and the only time we should assert its Islamic basis is when we're at the mosque.
This doesn't mean you shouldn't be proud of being a Muslim. One should take pride in having ethics. However, next time you want to chest thump about introducing "Islamic concepts" into "the politics of the de-spiritualized West", ask if you see any Christians doing the same. They don't. And the ones that do: everyone calls them nutjobs, hicks, or Christofascists. Ultimately, in a pluralist society, trying to get people to give a shout out to your religion just because it happens to share a vision of a just society with the mainstream discourse, does nothing more than affirm your identity. It is not an act of sovereignty. It is nothing more than empty pride.
(6 comments) Comments >>
The "Death" of Progressive Islam
Ali Eteraz has written yet another brilliant article on the so-called "Death" of Progressive Islam. I use quotation marks around "Death" because, like the Salafi dawah, although progressive Islam has receded, it is certainly not dead. As an intellectual movement, it may be in crisis, but is nonetheless in the process of re-organization and possibly regeneration.
(5 comments, 3209 words in story) There's more...
State of Islamic Reform in the West
Consider, then, the irony: reformers which did not alienate the Muslim community were alienated by the media; reformers which did alienate the Muslim community were embraced by the media.
In a world of perfect homogeneity, where there is no migration, no immigration, no refugees, no cross-border terror, and no transnational media, non-Muslims would mind their own business about Islam and Muslims would mind their own business about postmodernism, and the never the twain would meet. However, the world is plural, and with each breath, increasingly interconnected. There are irritating Islamists studying at American Universities; there are rich Europenan businessmen running the male sex trade in Tunisia. America is leveling bombs on Iraq; Jihadists are leveling their bodies at American interests. The multifarious is normative.
In this morass, the Muslim reformer must speak to her community (Muslims) and patiently, slowly, meticulously, extol them to shake their errors (violence, inability to integrate converts, utopian dreams of a perfect Islamic State, unfair family laws), all the while communicating with the larger world community (mostly non-Muslim) which is not interested in the nuances of how Muslim reform, just that we do it, and soon. There is a tension here: Muslims communities, like all communities, react slowly to change; non-Muslims want results now.
Tariq Ramadan and Khaled Abu el Fadl were the first reformers who ran into this tension. I am not sure they were able to deal with it effectively.
(3 comments, 1577 words in story) There's more...
First forced marriages, now forced divorces
A sister living in Madinah sent me the following information. I was very shocked to hear that not only are there situations around the world of forced marriages but also of forced divorces now, both of which are clearly against the dignity and honor accorded to the individual by God in Islam. This case, and others like it, bring up important issues in the debate over the legal role of guardians for competant adult Muslim women.
The <a href="
The Alliance launched a <a href="
Please spread the word.
(1 comment, 428 words in story) There's more...
A Critique I've Received
On some progressive muslim channels I've gotten criticized for the fact that without progressives there wouldn't have been a number of positive advancements in the community -- like an increased focus on women's equality.
That may be true, however, that does not require that you have to be a "progressive" to support issues of importance. I can support women led prayer or question inheritance laws without having to be a progressive, or being lumped in with them.
Progressives want to hog activism the way Salafis and some traditionalists hog piety. I say no thanks.
I have a new slogan for us. Eteraz.Org: Islam Without Labels.Or how about: Eteraz.Org: Say No To Label Whores.
(7 comments) Comments >>
How The Quran Becomes Handmaiden Of Terror
This exploding of how jihadi rhetoric hijacks the Quran is so beautiful and on point that I'm linking to it again.
Willow, it is an honor to know you.
I really hope this article makes the rounds. This is a wonderful insistence by a regular believer standing up for the beauty of the Quran.
(2 comments) Comments >>
On Theocracy and Liberty
I am an American by birth, and my views though painstakingly shaped and molded to represent my understanding of the “Ideal Muslim” are in fact also influenced by my American upbringing. And so, when I say to you “On Theocracy and Liberty” keep in mind that the lens from which I speak is that of an American-born Muslim. As it were, during my college years when questioned on the position of Islamic Law (Shari’a), I would get upset and feel hurt and under-attack, but that was mainly because I didn’t have any kind of defense. Like many Muslims I was not knowledgeable of Arab and Muslim history beyond the 4th Rightly Guided Caliph.
This search lead me to argument after frustrating argument because I could find no non-Muslims - at the time - to stand in defense of anything Islamic! It was shocking, because it seemed to me that if all of my non-Muslim colleagues rejected my core beliefs than what do they think of me! Nevertheless, I came to accept the dilemma but what made the most significant impact on my acceptance of this dilemma - the dilemma of the American-Muslim - is an understanding of Islamic history, but not medieval history, we are talking more about history between the late 18th (Romanticism) and mid 20th centuries (Modernism). It was during this period that many of the problems we face in our present-day society originated, which brings me to the topic of this article.
(2 comments, 1208 words in story) There's more...
Recent DiariesLove Is
by thabet - February 20
I Am Free
by Ali Eteraz - February 19
How To Get A Muslima Wet
by Ali Eteraz - February 19
72 Virgins: A Thought Experiment
by jahandost - February 19
the muslima book: a call for essays
by azizhp - February 19
Friday Prayer Review: February 16, 2007
by OmarG - February 17
American-Desi Academic Becomes Next King of Saudi Arabia....
by Humza Goldstein Bey - February 17
by AnonyMouse - February 17
A Muslim Hangout
by Humza Goldstein Bey - February 17
I Want To Get In Line To Receive Free Quran
by Ali Eteraz - February 17
Saturday February 17th
Friday February 16th