altmuslim this week - december 1, 2008 - This week, lots to observe in the recent tragic attacks on Mumbai. What have we learned, and are all tragedies equal? Plus, the Brass Crescent Awards are underway (though very late in starting) with a new crop of blogs to choose from. 
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The surprise effect of anti-Muslim rhetoric in this year’s elections - Despite the extent of anti-Muslim rhetoric in Election 2008, candidates who embraced these methods failed to get elected and Muslim-Americans were galvanized to take control of their own political destiny.
(November 28, 2008)
An Al Qaeda bluff is called - The election of Barack Obama broke all the rules in the Al Qaeda-neocon playbook. Responding with race baiting (when most Muslims are people of colour) shows that the Al Qaeda philosophy is crumbling. (November 24, 2008)
More asides here...
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Ibrahim Abusharif
Junaid Afeef
Wajahat Ali
Safiyyah Ally
Shahed Amanullah
Zahed Amanullah
Mas'ood Cajee
Ali Eteraz
Hesham Hassaballa
Zahir Janmohamed
Muqtedar Khan
Naeem Mohaiemen
Svend White
Irfan Yusuf
Rafia Zakaria
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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)
More episodes here...
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Recent and upcoming talks and offsite articles by altmuslim contributors
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)
Shahed will be participating in the Progressive Revival group blog at BeliefNet (July 29, 2008)
Western civilization? What a good idea that would be - Irfan Yusuf, New Zealand Herald (July 22, 2008)
Shahed will be speaking about the role of the Web in promoting Muslim civic engagement at the ISNA South Central Zone Conference in Houston, Texas (July 5, 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)
More press here...
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A red light reminder
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Interfaith work
What is God’s zip code?
By Dilara Hafiz, December 4, 2008
“Hi, I’m Anne and I’m a Christian Scientist.” “I’m Tex, a Methodist.” “I’m John, a member of the LDS church.” “I’m Dilara, a Muslim.” No, this isn’t a religious AA meeting - it’s the monthly meeting of the Arizona Interfaith Movement, whose mission is ‘to build bridges of understanding, respect, and support among diverse people of faith through education, dialogue, service, and the implementation of the Golden Rule.’ Interfaith groups like the AIFM exist all across the USA. God is not limited by a zip code. Whether I kneel in a pew or press my forehead upon a prayer rug, my observance of a higher power is a spiritual act of remembrance and devotion. But 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? (7 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. (3 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.
(17 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. (29 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. (23 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.” (15 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. (15 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) |
Poet Mahmoud Darwish A people and a poet By Ibtisam Barakat, August 22, 2008 |
 | | Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, who died earlier this month, moved between skies and across borders. Wherever he was, words in his hands were a magic lamp that set free the genie of the Arabic language. (1 comment) |
Detainee Aafia Siddiqui It’s women and children now By Marryam Haleem, August 17, 2008 |
 | | The case against Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani MIT graduate and detainee of the US held for over five years under mysterious circumstances, is finally being made public - and looks to fulfill more in a pattern of dubious evidence and maltreatment in the name of the War on Terror. (4 comments) |
Activist Mazen Asbahi Cowards and patriots By A. Arain, August 13, 2008 |
 | | Today we must ask ourselves whether America is safer because the Wall Street Journal outed and exposed to the world an honest patriot volunteering for a cause he believes in and partaking of democracy which is his right as a concerned citizen. (13 comments) |
Tyson Foods controversy The death of good intentions By Junaid Afeef, August 11, 2008 |
 | | The decision by Tyson Foods and its unions to replace Labor Day with Eid-ul-Fitr in its holiday schedule - pitting Islam against America - was doomed from the start. As a result, the perception of coercing Islam on society will continue. (4 comments) |
Perspectives Free speech is a two-way street By Shahed Amanullah, August 7, 2008 |
 | | Some of the more abrasive encounters between Muslims and others have not centered around politics or foreign policy, but in the arena of free expression. It doesn't have to be this way. (37 comments) |
Perspectives Going in circles By Mustafa Qadri, August 5, 2008 |
 | | There is literally a whole world of ideas and perspectives out there. Most are not related to Islam. We should be mindful of them, even if we decide to reject any literal truth other perspectives might offer. (2 comments) |
Interfaith Finding sincerity in cross-religious dialogue By H. A. Hellyer, August 3, 2008 |
 | | New initiatives in the interfaith community that draw in top-level scholars and leaders are transforming inter-religious discussion (2 comments) |
US Foreign Policy Time for US-Iran détente By Muqtedar Khan, July 29, 2008 |
 | | A gesture of friendship from Bush, a surprise visit to Tehran by Rice, or a gift of six passenger aircrafts, should be enough to send Ahmedinajad packing in the elections due in 2009. (11 comments) |
Social Networking Dialogue for the masses By Jude Townend, July 27, 2008 |
 | | Web 2.0 technologies are being incorporated into promising interfaith initiatives that can help overcome misunderstandings between Muslims and those of other faiths. (1 comment) |
Religion and the state Burqa and citizenship By Rafia Zakaria, July 22, 2008 |
 | | To first exclude a minority through racism and xenophobia and then turn around and castigate those same immigrants for the "failure to assimilate" seems like a redundant and malicious policy (33 comments) |
Religion and Satire A laughable attempt at humor By Sara Haji, July 20, 2008 |
 | | The recent cover of The New Yorker magazine, highlighting Barack Obama's Muslim stereotypes, falls short of satire and instead fans the flames of misinformation. (14 comments) |
More comment here...
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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. (17 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) |
Assalamu aleikum, Mr. President Obama prevailed. So will we By Zahed Amanullah, November 5, 2008 |
 | | President-elect Barack Obama has endured the most sustained and aggressive onslaught of anti-Muslim hysteria ever foisted on the American public. So have American Muslims. (130 comments) |
US Elections Our troubled political journey By Muqtedar Khan, November 3, 2008 |
 | | In the 2008 US Presidential election, American Muslims have no alternative but to vote for Barack Obama. They should do so with an understanding of what has been achieved in the political sphere - and what has not. (5 comments) |
More briefings here...
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Actor/Comedian Aasif Mandvi “This is you, America. Are you ok with it?“ By Wajahat Ali, October 24, 2008 |
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