altmuslim this week - december 22, 2008 - This week, a successful Hajj in a city you won't recognise within a decade. Also, Obama reaches out to the Muslim world and American Muslims reach out to Obama's new favourite pastor Rick Warren (who reaches out to a lesbian rock star at the same time). 
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The preacher and the pop star - What happens when you put together a Muslim convention, an evangelical preacher, and a (lesbian) Grammy-award winning rock star? The answer is an extraordinary and historic day. (December 27, 2008)
Your second Muslim life - Finland's Muxlim has launched a trial version of Muxlim Pal, an online virtual world geared towards the "Muslim lifestyle." But can one attract those sympathetic to Muslims while repelling those antagonistic to them? (December 11, 2008)
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altmuslim review 030 - Free speech - is it something Muslims can live with? In this episode, we talk about how Muslims cope with (and benefit from) free speech in Western societies. Also, an extended interview with Jewel of Medina author Sherry Jones discussing her controversial book. (October 10, 2008)
altmuslim review 029 - A vibrant Muslim media could have an opportunity to restore balance to the Muslim public image - if it can get on its feet. In this episode, we explore the state of the Muslim media. Also, an interview with the creator of "Muslim Cafe", Navid Akhtar. (July 5, 2008)
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Recent and upcoming talks and offsite articles by altmuslim contributors
Shahed will be speaking about Muslims in the political process at the 8th annual Texas Dawah Convention in Houston, Texas (December 27, 2008)
Skyscraping ambition for Mecca, Ali Eteraz, The Guardian (UK), Comment is Free (December 18, 2008)
Zahed will be leading a technology workshop for European Muslim professionals at the Salzburg Global Seminar, Salzburg, Austria (November 16-20, 2008)
Zahed will be a keynote speaker at the inaugural meeting of the Network of European Muslim Technology Entrepreneurs, in Madrid, Spain (November 14, 2008)
Shahed will be a featured panelist at Red Faith/Blue Faith: Religion in the 2008 Election and Beyond at the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC (November 7, 2008)
Let the Global Islamic Conspiracy Begin, Ali Eteraz, Jewcy, (November 5, 2008)
Zahed will be a guest on Press TV's Islam & Life, hosted by Tariq Ramadan, speaking on French and American Muslim experiences (November 3, 2008)
Zahed will be a guest on Irish broadcaster RTE's Spectrum radio show, speaking about Barack Obama and the Muslim factor in the US presidential election (November 1, 2008)
Shahed will be a guest on the nationally syndicated radio show Interfaith Voices, speaking about the "otherization" of American Muslims (October 23, 2008)
Powell's remarks rebut the idea of Muslims as political kryptonite - Wajahat Ali, The Guardian (UK), Comment is Free (October 22, 2008)
Today's Boo Radley: Muslim Americans - Wajahat Ali, The Washington Post (October 20, 2008)
The Republican red scare, Wajahat Ali, The Guardian (UK), Comment is Free (October 11, 2008)
Heritage was mixed a long time ago - Irfan Yusuf, Sydney Morning Herald (September 30, 2008)
Shahed will be a guest on BBC Radio 4's " Sunday" programme speaking about the Jewel of Medina controversy (September 28, 2008)
Dangerous liaisons, Wajahat Ali, The Guardian (UK), Comment is Free (September 27, 2008)
Another attack - in the name of whose Islam? - Irfan Yusuf, The Age (Australia) (September 22, 2008)
Violence against women won't stop until men speak out - Irfan Yusuf, New Zealand Herald (September 12, 2008)
Shahed will be participating in a panel discussion, Sourcing Islam, at the Religion Newswriters Association conference in Washington, DC (September 20, 2008)
Muslims have nothing to fear from this book - Shahed Amanullah, The Guardian (UK), Comment is Free (September 9, 2008)
Rushdie is no believer in free speech - Irfan Yusuf, The Age (Australia) (August 8, 2008)
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Media appearances and analysis featuring altmuslim editors
Domestic crusader - An associate editor of the publication AltMuslim.com—“it’s neither too apologetic nor too antagonistic”—Wajahat exhorts wealthier American Muslims to invest in their own future by creating think tanks and scholarships in art and media instead of collecting luxury cars. “We have to break out of our culturally isolated bubble,” he says.
(October 11, 2008)
National publisher kills Spokane journalist’s book - [Amanullah] sent e-mails to about 200 graduate students in Islamic studies, telling them of Spellberg's "frantic" call and asking if they had heard about the novel. "What I got back was a collective shrug of the shoulders," says Amanullah. "The thing that is surreal for me is that here you had a non-Muslim write a book, and you had a non-Muslim complain about it, and a non-Muslim publisher pull the book." (August 20, 2008)
Self censoring Muslims - "But Amanullah says he never wanted the book pulled. 'I'm upset the book wasn't published,' he said, 'not because I agree or disagree with the book.' For him, 'I don't want to be in the position where we are stifling speech. Preemptive censorship is not in our interest. That's worse than even censorship. We're not going to silence our way out of problems.'" (August 12, 2008)
You still can’t write about Muhammad - "But Ms. Spellberg wasn't a fan of Ms. Jones's book. On April 30, Shahed Amanullah, a guest lecturer in Ms. Spellberg's classes and the editor of a popular Muslim Web site, got a frantic call from her. "She was upset," Mr. Amanullah recalls. He says Ms. Spellberg told him the novel "made fun of Muslims and their history," and asked him to warn Muslims." (August 5, 2008)
Why the silence? - "Both reactionary religion and militant secularism are on the rise, with both displaying a rigid certainty and a desire for power that will do nothing to benefit society. In this context, it is vital that people with open-minded faith speak up and demonstrate alternatives. [altmuslim.com has] set many good examples in this regard." (January 8, 2008)
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Get out the vote
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Conflict in Gaza
Democracy’s moral recession
By Muqtedar Khan, January 4, 2009
I have, for years, been a strong advocate of the democracy, primarily inspired by my experience with American freedoms. As a Muslim who speaks his mind and asks critical questions, I am routinely threatened and maligned by those, who unable to cope with my reason and critique, seek to silence me. American democracy gave me the protection and the opportunity to live life as God intended humans to – as thinking, reflecting and expressive beings. I helped form an organization to promote democracy in the Muslim world and wrote a book making the argument that democracy was essential for good Islamic governance. However in the past few years, democracy has repeatedly let advocates like me down. Let me give you a few examples. ( 4 comments) | |
Civil liberties Better safe than free? By Wajahat Ali, January 3, 2009 |
 | | Even though air travel regulations have ensured a strengthened defense program, prejudicial measures targeting “brown” Americans not only placate and inflame our basest paranoid fears, they are also ineffective and inefficient. ( 2 comments) |
Gaza military strikes Business as usual By Wajahat Ali, December 29, 2008 |
 | | In supporting the Israeli bombing of Gaza while ignoring events older than last week, we risk squandering yet another precious opportunity to remedy the Palestinian human rights crisis. ( 10 comments) |
Christmas Christ in the Qur’an By Hesham Hassaballa, December 25, 2008 |
 | | Jesus wanted to free them from the shackles of the legalism that choked off their spirituality. Christ returns in the Qur'an with the very same message, although Christ does not speak one word. ( 3 comments) |
Forced marriage The parent trap and honour crime By Hana Shams Ahmed, December 22, 2008 |
 | | After a five-month ordeal in her home country of Bangladesh, 32-year-old doctor Humayra Abedin confirmed a forced marriage at the hands of her parents. But what does the incident reveal about Bangladeshi attitudes on domestic violence towards women? ( 22 comments) |
US Foreign Policy What Obama can learn from the hajj By Kamran Pasha, December 20, 2008 |
 | | President Barack Hussein Obama has the chance to ally with the Islam of joy and peace that I witnessed at the Hajj this year, for the good of the United States and the world. Let’s hope he takes it. ( 9 comments) |
Foreign Policy Why diplomacy and sanctions don’t mix By Trita Parsi, December 17, 2008 |
 | | The definition of leverage in the Bush administration was one's ability to get something for nothing. That approach has clearly failed; it does not characterise negotiations, but rather ultimatums and threats. ( 22 comments) |
Holy Land Foundation Perverse justice By Wajahat Ali, December 15, 2008 |
 | | Prosecuting a charity such as the Holy Land Foundation was nothing more than a means for the Bush administration to acquire a notch on its "get a terrorist" club. ( 6 comments) |
Interfaith Dialogue that can change the world By H. A. Hellyer, December 11, 2008 |
 | | The Catholic–Muslim forum that the Pope has now inaugurated can be a mechanism through which such misunderstandings can be avoided and where constructive engagement can take place. ( 5 comments) |
Hajj 2008/1429 Standing alone among millions By Hesham Hassaballa, December 8, 2008 |
 | | The Hajj was the most powerful experience I have ever had, and its sights, sounds, and smells are as fresh today as they were nearly six years ago when I performed the once-in-a-lifetime trek to Mecca. ( 16 comments) |
Mumbai attacks Thinking through the debris of terror By Shuddhabrata Sengupta, December 6, 2008 |
 | | Once again, by their concrete actions, the terrorists have demonstrated not their fidelity but their sharp deviance from the letter and spirit of the Qur'an. Once again, Islamophobes and Islamists are not adversaries, but allies. ( 1 comment) |
Interfaith work What is God’s zip code? By Dilara Hafiz, December 4, 2008 |
 | | Why are some Americans focusing on differences in dogma, rather than highlighting the common denominators of tolerance, knowledge, and unity? Their intent is to divide us. ( No comments) |
Terrorism in India The messages from Mumbai By Muqtedar Khan, December 1, 2008 |
 | | The Saudis have succeeded in reducing terror through dialogue and re-education of youth. In Iraq, the US won over the Iraqis who had joined Al Qaeda through dialogue and political and monetary incentives. Why can't the same creative approach be brought to South Asia? ( 71 comments) |
Religion in schools Gym class, then biblical studies? By Mushir Hassan, November 30, 2008 |
 | | I am a Muslim parent who wants his children to learn about Christianity in public school. I want my children to know about the significance of Christmas, Easter and Lent. Why? It will make them better Americans. ( 5 comments) |
Reviving feminism Making a needed connection By Rafia Zakaria, November 24, 2008 |
 | | Feminists have remained silent and unwilling to make the connection between exhibitionism of flesh and subjugation of flesh, a commonality that should be a rallying cry.
( 41 comments) |
The Obama presidency An internationalist president By John Esposito, November 21, 2008 |
 | | President-elect Obama has a singular opportunity to signal a new era and send a new message of hope and constructive engagement across the Muslim world, despite formidable political and economic challenges. ( 3 comments) |
The Obama presidency What can American Muslims expect? By Parvez Ahmed, November 17, 2008 |
 | | Obama’s election is not the end of a road; it is only the beginning of a struggle for change. And despite setbacks, the American Muslim community can discover newer and better ways to engage in the American political process. ( 32 comments) |
Civil liberties Why the same-sex marriage debate still matters By Sabir Ibrahim, November 12, 2008 |
 | | Many Muslims may be receptive to concerns about civil liberties, but feel that they would be compromising their Islamic principles by voting against a ban on same-sex marriage. This need not be the case. ( 24 comments) |
US Elections Dear John McCain By Wajahat Ali, October 31, 2008 |
 | | If Barack Obama’s social “palling around" with Columbia University professor Rashid Khalidi makes him an anti-American radical extremist, then John McCain - who gave Khalidi nearly $500,000 - surely emerges as the 72 year-old hybrid incarnate of Hezbollah, Hamas and Al Qaeda. ( 3 comments) |
Muslims in America Joe Hussein the Plumber By Sumbul Ali-Karamali, October 29, 2008 |
 | | Those who elevate Joe the Plumber as the symbol of America while simultaneously denigrating Obama for being Hussein miss the point: both are symbols of the greatness of America. ( 6 comments) |
Answering atheism Religion, good and evil By Hesham Hassaballa, October 27, 2008 |
 | | It is quite easy to look at all this pain and suffering committed in the name of religion and conclude that religion itself is the problem. Yet, this criticism misses the point. Religion is not the problem: It is the so-called "religious" who are.
( 12 comments) |
Prejudice So what if he is a Muslim? By Parvez Ahmed, October 21, 2008 |
 | | To sustain counterproductive policies, politicians resort to fear mongering, thus unleashing a vicious cycle. One in which “fear” leads to bad policies and bad policies lead to more “fear.” ( 16 comments) |
Religion in the public square When did I become the “other”? By Dilara Hafiz, October 19, 2008 |
 | | First we were blamed for not speaking up. But clearly someone heard us, because now we're being accused of lying. Talk about a Catch-22. It's enough to make conspiracy theorists out of even the most naive optimists among us. ( 69 comments) |
Muslims in politics A significant political entity By Nafees Syed, October 12, 2008 |
 | | That Muslim Americans are so involved in politics when many candidates treat them like pariahs indicates a dedication to civic engagement and involvement in the American political scene. ( 59 comments) |
Terrorism The dilemma of the “die-hards” By Hesham Hassaballa, October 8, 2008 |
 | | If the military option is not defeating Al Qa'ida, what are we to do against the small number of "die hard" militants who will never be convinced that their version of "jihad" is satanic in nature? ( 23 comments) |
Election 2008 Mavericks: Action without thought By Muqtedar Khan, October 6, 2008 |
 | | Peggy Noonan, a strong supporter of Gov. Sarah Palin, gushed in the Wall Street Journal that Palin "is not a person of thought but of action." Action without thought - that is what we will get if we put McCain and Palin in the White House. ( 31 comments) |
Interpreting divine texts Let the Qur’an define itself By Naif Al-Mutawa, September 29, 2008 |
 | | In our schools, we get an “A” if we can memorise something, but an “F” if we dare to analyse it. If God had wanted us to be parrots, he would have given us feathers and beaks instead of minds and free will.
( 29 comments) |
The politics of hijab A bit of black cloth By Karen Estes, September 27, 2008 |
 | | The hijab has come out of the closet to become the branding logo for a whole new generation and a diverse range of conflicts, cultural and economic, religious and secular.
( 86 comments) |
Terrorism in Pakistan Celebrating Ramadan, jihadi style By Muqtedar Khan, September 23, 2008 |
 | | In the month of Ramadan, when even frowning is undesirable, some Muslims with poisoned minds have chosen to murder and maim indiscriminately. ( 15 comments) |
Smoking A time to kick the habit By Hesham Hassaballa, September 18, 2008 |
 | | Ramadan is all about changing our behavioral patterns to make ourselves better. Thus, we should take the opportunity of the fast of Ramadan to break the habit of smoking. ( 4 comments) |
Combatting extremism Don’t worry, we’re going to do something By Saraji Umm Zaid, September 16, 2008 |
 | | We have to firmly and without any reservations reject the rhetoric of extremism and invalidate its sources. We have, so far, been unwilling to do this. ( 36 comments) |
Race relations An apology By Azhar Usman, September 14, 2008 |
 | | I would like to unburden myself of something that has been sitting like a ton of bricks on my heart for my entire life. I want to apologize to my Blackamerican brothers and sisters in Islam. ( 16 comments) |
Muslim Americans Between American society and the American story By Sherman Jackson, September 8, 2008 |
 | | Despite their positive contributions to society, Muslims remain outside the American story, which is why they seldom enlist empathy when they are jailed, deported or discriminated against. ( 105 comments) |
Muslims in politics Shed the cynicism and get engaged By Parvez Ahmed, September 3, 2008 |
 | | The time has come for American Muslims to demonstrably show that they can help American politics to be once again based on the universal values of peace, liberty and justice for all. ( 9 comments) |
Ramadan Ramadan, counterculture, and soul By Ibrahim Abusharif, September 1, 2008 |
 | | In one month, we're given the assignment of defrocking the ephemeral world of its authority over us, and to reinstate a spiritual bearing that helps us perceive where permanence lies. ( 20 comments) |
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Year in review The top ten good news stories of 2008 By Zahed Amanullah & Mas'ood Cajee, December 29, 2008 |
 | | The year 2008 has brought with it stories from the Muslim world both good and bad. Being the optimistic types, we now present you with the good ones.
( 6 comments) |
European Muslims A declaration of independents By Zahed Amanullah, December 12, 2008 |
 | | A new European Muslim media network aims to bridge the divide between Muslims and non-Muslims in Europe, as well as between European Muslims themselves. The Internet, along with a better understanding of media, is making it possible. ( 1 comment) |
Terrorism in India Mumbai madness By Zahir Janmohamed, November 27, 2008 |
 | | The attack by gunmen on Mumbai's hotels and landmarks brings to mind past violence between Hindus and Muslims in the world's largest democracy. These attacks never help their purported causes, but remain stubbornly ubiquitous nonetheless. ( 37 comments) |
Assalamu Aleikum, Mr. President The third time’s a charm By Shahed Amanullah, November 9, 2008 |
 | | As everyday Muslim-Americans take their political destiny into their own hands, they find a degree of success that wasn't possible with top-down organizing. ( 4 comments) |
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