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On the face of it, it seems obvious. Official Catholic teachings warn against marraige between Catholics and Muslims (particularly between Catholic women and Muslim men), and urge children of such unions to be brought up Catholic. Turn the situation around (Muslim women and Catholic men), and you'd get a similar answer from commonly agreed-upon Islamic teachings. But the issuance of a document from the Vatican outlining aspects of Catholicism's relationship with the Muslim world (both of which are increasingly encroaching upon each other), revealed a growing unease between the two faiths which collectively govern 2 billion people. Citing "profound cultural and religious differences" between the two faiths, the document urges respect for Islam and Muslims, particularly those immigrating to Europe, but also warns against inter-religious marraige and a lack of freedom and human rights in Muslim lands. "There is a high or growing percentage of Muslim immigrants, for whom this Pontifical Council also expresses its solicitude," says the document. But it also calls for "a growing awareness that fundamental liberties, the inviolable rights of the person, the equal dignity of man and woman, the democratic principle of government and the healthy lay character of the state are principles that cannot be surrendered." On the other side of the aisle, Muslims took the statement in stride. "This can be viewed as something against Islam," said Souleiman Ghali, president of the Islamic Society of San Francisco, "(but) we don't view it this way... We view (Pope John Paul II) as a man of peace and as a man who believes deeply in bridging the gap between the Catholic and Muslim community." The statement also viewed as problematic allowing Muslims to worship in churches, a reference to a request by Spanish Muslims to pray in the cathedral of Cordoba, which was once a mosque. (More here)
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The Power Of Images: Another Daniel Pearl Moment
If anyone needs more clear proof that al-Qaida is the avowed enemy of Muslims all over the world, one need not look further than a grainy video on a jihadi website. Just as American officials were grappling with the aftermath of the Iraqi prison abuse scandal, just as more Americans than ever before think that invading Iraq was a mistake, just as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld came tantalizingly close to losing his job, and just as Bush's popularity hit an all time low, al-Qaida ruins it all and grabs the moral low ground with a dramatic videotaped beheading of Nick Berg, an American telecommunications contractor. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, linked to al-Qaida as well as an aborted terrorist attack in Jordan, used the humiliation of Abu Ghraib prisoners as a cheap excuse to commit the ultimate crime, and Muslims around the world will pay the price as the "war on terror" is racheted up a notch. Given the searing power of images, the brutal murder of one innocent can seem to rise above others (i.e. innocents in Falluja who fell under sniper fire) who weren't lucky enough to have cameras around. But it was that very same power that brought the prison scandal to the front pages, which certainly would have been a footnote without those pictures (and, we are told, the worse ones to come). Indeed, the democratization of digital images as well as their ubiquity has made sure that all the ugliness of war is just a Google search away. Which means that the Bush administration is forced to condemn acts committed by soldiers that would have certainly been ignored before, and we Muslims - yes, the peaceful ones - will have to rise up and condemn murders that we once thought weren't our problem.
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Militant Attacks On Bangladeshi Ahmadiyya Muslims Increase
2,000 religious zealots - accompanied by police - stormed an Ahmadiyya mosque in Bangladesh, apparently emboldened by government moves to ban the Muslim sect's religious texts in the face of a growing extremist movement to stop Ahmadiyyas from calling themselves Muslim. "We appreciate the government for banning Ahmadiyya books," said Nazmul Haq of the anti-Ahmadiyya International Khatme Nabuwat Movement, "but it did not seize them and declare Ahmadiyyas non-Muslim. It prompted to act on our own." The group, along with other organizations, have threatened to increase attacks (which have included the burning of mosques and the murder of imams) unless Bangladesh (like Pakistan) declares Ahmadiyyas non-Muslim by June. "[This is] an ominous sign," said Towhidul Islam, a spokesman for Ahmadiyyas in Bangladesh. "The government banned our books under pressure from religious fanatics and police are now accompanying them into our mosques." Ahmadiyyas, who follow a branch of Islam founded in the 1800's, make up a vulnerable minority of Bangladesh's 130 million people, and have few differences in doctrine from their Sunni Muslim neighbors. "As long as we continue to treat Hindus, Christians, CHT Paharis, adivasis and Ahmadiyya Muslims as second class citizens, we will be a failure as a nation," says Naeem Mohaiemen, filmmaker (and alt.muslim co-editor) whose film "Muslims or Heretics?" documents the rising persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslims and recently premiered in Bangladesh. "Islamic extremists are using the Ahmadiyya issue as a Trojan horse," he adds, "[that will] eventually lead us to a fundamentalist state."
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US Adventures In The Mideast: Can It Get Any Worse?
Former general in Saddam's army takes over in Falluja; militants declare "victory". Bush ends up negotiating away Palestinian demands - for nothing. The rate that US soldiers die in Iraq goes up every month. Respect for the US in the Middle East is at an all time low. And misconduct by US guards at Saddam's former torture chambers creates a PR nightmare. For those that oppose US policy in the Middle East, the only consolation could be a defeat for President Bush in the upcoming elections, but is that worth the price paid by people on the ground? Who would have predicted that a month of siege and violence in Falluja (600 Iraqis dead to avenge 4 Americans) would end with a former Iraqi general (& war criminal) taking over the city? (Backtrack #1: US forces quickly replaced him with another general whose past is more conveniently hidden.) And that the Bush Administration would be left holding the bag after selling out Palestinian negotiating positions for a slap in the face by Israel's ruling Likud party? (Backtrack #2: The US agreed with the "Quartet" nations that any change on the ground would require the consent of the Palestinians.) And who could have predicted that a chain of stupid ideas (reopen Abu Ghraib prison, symbol of Saddam's brutality - staff it full of untrained recruits and unsupervised contractors - orchestrating "frat boy" hazing (and worse) that has nothing to do with fighting terror - taking pictures of it) would lead to a Perfect PR Storm that seemed to confirm Arab/Muslim fears about US intentions? (Backtrack #3: Bush will appear on Al-Arabiyya - once accused of inciting hatred of America - to spin the story). All in all, it's clear evidence that the US foreign policy of today is driving through the fog of war with 10-foot visibility, being led by the developing situation on the ground instead of a long-term vision of fairness and moral principle.
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BJP Backpedals On Hindutva To Woo Indian Muslim Vote
Ever since the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya, India a decade ago, a Hindu nationalist movement known as Hindutva has dominated the Indian political scene. Several political parties have played the Hindutva card to stoke emotions (and thus votes), and no group has been more successful at this than the currently ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But now that the BJP and its PM Atal Behari Vajpayee are entrenched at the top of India's political pyramid, and other, more extreme Hindu nationalist groups are using the same strategy, the BJP is looking back at the 12% of India that it left behind - the Muslims - as a possible new votebank. The "new and improved" BJP has been working overtime to field Muslim candidates (most stolen from the secular Congress party) and tout recent overtures to Pakistan in order to recast the group as respectful and even representative of India's 120 million Muslims. "My government has never discriminated against anybody on communal lines," said Vajpayee at a Muslim-dominated election rally in Bihar. "Gujarat must not happen again." But many Muslim voters, tired of being taken for granted by Congress and wary of BJP's new image, remain unconvinced. "After what happened at Ayodhya and the communal riots in Gujurat, there is a lot of insecurity within our Muslim community, and the BJP is responsible for it," said media consultant Sadia Devli. "They are responsible for Ayodhya and what happened in Gujurat and Muslims should vote to get rid of them." But in the first days of a three-week election process in the world's largest democracy, exit polls show that the new strategy may be working. In the end, the BJP - who reached the top after years of struggle and desperately want to stay in power - simply did the math and realized that there are more Muslim voters than extremist Hindu ones.
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Should US Mosques Have Minarets With Loudspeakers?
The town of Hamtramck, Michigan has long been a magnet for immigrants. Most of the town's residents come from Eastern Europe (mainly Poland), and two-thirds of the school children speak a language other than English at home. But recent immigration trends (e.g. Bengali, Yemeni, Bosnian) have resulted in five mosques in the town of 23,000, and a vigorous debate has ensued over a proposal to allow a noise exemption for the adhan (call to prayer) to be broadcast via loudspeakers from the mosque, much like the Sunday church bells that are more common here. "My only objection," said Joanne Golen, 68, a lifelong resident of Hamtramck, "[is] that I have to listen to a God other than the one I believe in praised five times a day." But despite opposition, the City Council voted unanimously to approve the extension, which is modeled after similar waivers in nearby Dearborn, where the sound of the adhan at sunset is more common. "Church bells don't turn Muslims or Jews into Christians," argued an editorial in the Detroit Free Press in response to charges that allowing the call would unfairly elevate Islam over other religions. "There's no reason to think the Muslim call to prayer will undermine other faiths." City Council member Shahab Ahmed, who attends the al-Islah masjid where that asked for the noise ordinance amendment, said he was surprised the call to prayer turned into a big issue. But the proposal had the strong support of City Council President Karen Majewski. "It'll take people a while to get used to it," she conceded. "But I think in the end they'll get used to it, and it'll become one of the lovely things about Hamtramck that we're proud of."
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Other Foot Drops With Rantisi Assassination: What Happens Now?
Many on both sides of the Israeli -Palestinian conflict expected it, but not quite so soon. This weekend's missile attack on Hamas leader Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi happened before the group could take revenge for the killing a few weeks ago of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin - and only a few days after Israeli PM Ariel Sharon got President Bush to discard decades of US policy towards Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Along with all the typical "raging Palestinians" commentary, this triple-shock to the status quo has led many analysts to the conclusion that all bets are off regarding the future of the Israeli/Palestinian relationship. (While some have opined that the US shift to Sharon's position gave a "green light" to the Rantisi assassination, the truth is that the US never really had a "red light" - witness the same weak "show restraint, pretty please" statement given after this and previous killings.) While the world (outside of the US) has been unanimous in its position of the illegality of settlements (as well as on Rantisi's killing), none has ever offered any substantive action to counter the increase in settlement activity or US support of it. And little on the US side will change regardless of who wins the November elections, as Democratic candidate John Kerry made abundantly clear during interviews on Sunday that revealed a lock-step position on Israel/Palestine. So with the "road map" burned to a crisp, serious doubts about Sharon's Gaza intentions (and few doubts about his West Bank ones), and both presidential candidates in agreement, the only sure thing is a downward slide.
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IN OPINION & COMMENTARY (67 articles): |
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Screen Doors You’ve Met Before By By Haroon S. Moghul - There are two types of people in the world. Those that bang into screen doors, and those who laugh at the people who do. (May 10, 2004)
Protocols Of The Elders Of Islam? By Shahed Amanullah - The way that anti-Muslim commentators describe what they think is in the minds of Muslims reminds one of an infamous book of long ago. (Apr 28, 2004)
Daniel Pipes: The New Voice Of Moderate Islam? By Sheila Musaji - The "Moderate Muslim" tests of Daniel Pipes makes Sheila Musaji feel like a Muslim Alice in a Neocon Wonderland. (Apr 11, 2004)
Why Are Muslims So "Shocked & Awed" By Yassin's Assassination? By Shahed Amanullah - The killing of Hamas' founder marks a turning point for Palestinians and an opportunity to re-evaluate their support for the group's military activities. (Mar 25, 2004)
Honesty Is The Best Policy By Kemal Benouis - Kemal Benouis explores the lack of intellectual honesty that is employed by the US government in evaluating its relationships with its allies throughout the world. (Mar 7, 2004)
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IN ART & CULTURE (52 stories): |
Zheng He: A Medieval Chinese Muslim Columbus? - The publication of a book asserting that a powerful Chinese Muslim admiral discovered much of the known world raises interest in Zheng He. (Feb 23, 2004)
An Anti-Muslim Cartoon, Or Just A Bad Joke? - Does it make sense to attack a cartoon strip that appears to insult Islam - but only if you think about it really hard? (Nov 26, 2003)
Writing The Sublime: Mohamed Zakariya Heals With The Pen - Mohamed Zakariya, a self-taught expert in Islamic calligraphy, is using his work to bridge gaps between Americans of different faiths. (Nov 10, 2003)
Islamic Mural To Adorn Downtown San Francisco - A new masjid in the heart of San Francisco will become more visible with an new mural that follows a long local tradition. (Jun 23, 2003)
Ripped From The Headlines: How Should TV Shows Portray Muslims? - A spy drama in the UK weaves a plot about suicide bombers, sparking a debate on topical portrayals vs. incitement of hatred. (Jun 11, 2003)
- More stories and comments hereIN BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY (44 stories): |
Heineken Replaces Alcohol With Fruit To Woo Muslim Markets - With minor adjustments to create Muslim-friendly malt products, Heineken aims to provide beer to the untapped 1-billion-strong Muslim market (Jul 6, 2003)
If You're Muslim, American Express Won't Take You - Disturbing reports of random cancellations of American Muslim credit card and financial accounts are starting to appear as the Patriot Act sinks in. (Jun 20, 2003)
"Bridges" Creates A Safe Space For Muslims On TV - Two young Muslim entrepreneurs take a chance on an ambitious new cable channel that aims to serve the growing American Muslim community. (Jun 9, 2003)
For Some, Halal Meat Is Too Hard To Swallow - As the Muslim population in the West grows, opposition to halal (and kosher) slaughter of animals for food increases. (May 16, 2003)
In Indonesia, Lung Cancer Is Now Halal - Indonesia's largest Muslim organization launches a brand of cigarettes as a fundraising tool - even though they've ruled that smoking is frowned upon in Islam. (Jan 16, 2003)
- More stories and comments hereIN FAMILY & COMMUNITY (95 stories): |
No Mercy: The Deportation Of Amina Silmi - Despite appeals from friends and politicians, Amina Silmi, a mother of three, was deported to Venezuela, where she must start a new life. (Apr 8, 2004)
Survey Says: American Muslims Are Liberal, Religious, Dislike Bush - Results of a recent poll might not be news to American Muslims, but it does confirm the moderate, politically involved image of recent times. (Apr 7, 2004)
British Muslims Speak Out About "Loudmouths" In Their Midst - Recent arrests of Muslims and the breakup of an alleged terrorist plot put British Muslims on the defensive against extremists in their midst. (Apr 2, 2004)
Generation M: Growing Up Muslim In America - From civil rights struggles to forging a hybrid culture, growing up Muslim in America is a difficult, yet rewarding experience. (Mar 31, 2004)
Charges Against Yee Dropped, But The Damage Is Done - After $100,000 in legal fees, 76 days in detention, and a reputation dragged through the mud, the Army dropped all charges against Chaplain James Yee. (Mar 22, 2004)
- More stories and comments here
Norweigians Ponder The "Shabana Debate" - A young Pakistani-Norweigian stand-up comic takes the baton from others female Muslim comics and pushes the boundaries further, to the ire of both liberals and conservatives. (Nov 16, 2003)
What Effect Will Shirin Ebadi's Nobel Prize Have On Her Work? - A few weeks ago, Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi worked quietly on human rights issues. How will a Nobel Peace Prize impact her work? (Oct 13, 2003)
Amina Lawal's Acquittal: Not The End Of The Struggle - So far, the handful of people convicted to death under Nigeria's shari'a law have escaped punishment. How long will it last? (Sep 29, 2003)
Not Just A Piece Of Cloth: Legal Battles Continue Over Hijabs - With hijabs becoming a more common sight in Western schools, legal actions both for and against them are heating up. (Sep 24, 2003)
Do Dolls Have To Wear Hijab? - In the battle to control the sexuality of Muslim women, even plastic dolls are being forced to cover up or face banishment. (Sep 15, 2003)
- More stories and comments hereIN ISLAMIC THOUGHT (56 stories): |
Shari'a Debate Casts Uncertainty Over Iraq's Political Future - Tensions rise as Paul Bremer, the US administrator over occupied Iraq, vows to veto a shari'a-based interim Iraqi constitution. (Feb 18, 2004)
Polio: Nigerian Imams Do The Wrong Thing - Simple-minded imams in Nigeria refuse polio vaccinations because of conspiracy theories, and 600 Muslim kids get infected with the disease. (Feb 6, 2004)
Eid al-Adha Marred By Violence & Tragedy - Muslims around the world celebrated the end of the hajj, although it was marred by tragic deaths inside Saudi Arabia and Iraq. (Feb 2, 2004)
A New Ramadan Clashes With Modernity And Commercialism - It's a new world as Ramadan struggles to keep people's attention on the Divine instead of strife, materialism, and an increasingly multicultural world. (Oct 27, 2003)
Saudis Get Clue, Curtail "Jihad" Talk By Clerics - Seeing the connection between calls for Jihad by the Saudi religious establishment and the Riyadh bombings, goverment officials clamp down on wayward imams. (Aug 5, 2003)
- More stories and comments hereIN US POLITICS (92 stories): |
The Terrorism Case That Wasn't - One year on, the 'Help the Needy' case, which involved one of the largest federal interrogations of Muslims in the United States, is still shrouded in mystery. (Mar 6, 2004)
US Public Relations Machine Needs Some Good PR - First it was PSAs, then Radio Sawa, then Hi Magazine, and now Al-Hurra Television - but skeptical Muslims keep saying "It's the policy, stupid!" (Feb 16, 2004)
Are American Muslims A Political Liability? It's Hard To Tell - Are Muslims the "kiss of death" for candidates in the 2004 presidential elections? The candidates aren't acting like it. (Jan 26, 2004)
Gone Fishin': Senators Order Audit Of Muslim Orgs - A Senate committee is requesting a blanket search of IRS records of a number of Muslim organizations, all the way up to ISNA. Donors could be at risk. (Jan 19, 2004)
Without Muslims, Foiled Domestic Terror Plot Gets No Respect - A plot to explode a cyanide bomb to kill thousands gets foiled, but nobody notices because Muslims weren't involved. (Jan 12, 2004)
- More stories and comments hereIN WORLD POLITICS (116 stories): |
Undemocratic Countries Avoid "Islam & Democracy" Conference - There were a lot of good things said about Islam's compatibility with democracy and human rights, but the worst offenders weren't there to hear them. (Apr 15, 2004)
Ten Years After Rwanda, Sudan Crisis Grows Critical - A battle between Muslims creates a refugee crisis in Sudan, while Rwandan Muslims are remembered for saving lives amid a genocide. (Apr 13, 2004)
Missing Human Rights Lawyer Latest Of Thai Muslims' Woes - A noted human rights lawyer who has been missing for two weeks is the latest setback for the troubled Muslim southern states of Thailand. (Mar 28, 2004)
Spanish Muslims Brace For 3/11 Backlash - As blame for last week's Madrid bombings shifts from Basque separatists to Al-Qaida, Muslims in Spain brace for a backlash. (Mar 14, 2004)
British Gitmo Detainees Happy To Have Due Process At Home - Human rights activists and relatives of Guantanamo detainees have been pleading for legal due process for years. Five Brits will now get it. (Mar 10, 2004)
- More stories and comments hereIN WAR & CONFLICT (92 stories): |
Iraq Pot Boils Over, US Tries To Keep The Lid On - Muqtada Al-Sadr, Iraq's rebellious "wild card", has sparked protests that turned violent, creating a significant challenge to US control. (Apr 5, 2004)
Abdurahman Khadr: From Osama Disciple To CIA Operative - He trained with bin Laden in Afghanistan, then worked for the CIA in Guantanamo. Abdurahman Khadr shows us two secret worlds. (Mar 17, 2004)
Old Ashoura Sorrows Mix With The New - A series of attacks on Shia Muslims celebrating the holy day of Ashoura reinforce a schism in Islam that has lasted since its beginning. (Mar 3, 2004)
Will Bush's Bin Laden "October Surprise" Come A Bit Early? - The buzz increases as the US and Pakistan close in on Osama bin Laden, hoping to recreate the success of nabbing Saddam Hussein. (Feb 25, 2004)
Deadly Shootout At The Baghdad Corral - A pair of suicide bombings take out over 100 Iraqis in just over one day - and a mysterious letter may give clues to future attacks. (Feb 11, 2004)
- More stories and comments here
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More Press Coverage - Take a look at the July/August edition of Adbusters (one of our favorite mags) - you'll see an article by Mas'ood Cajee reprinted from alt.muslim. You'll also see alt.muslim discussed in the new book " Blog On!" (Jun 16, 2003)
In The News - From last Friday's San Jose Mercury News: "Before Sept. 11, Shahed Amanullah, an East Bay engineer, was only interested in publishing online reviews of local eateries that follow the Muslim dietary standards of halal. Last year he launched Altmuslim.com, a news and discussion forum for the Muslim community..." (Mar 3, 2003)
Props to Muslim WakeUp! - Check out our friends at Muslim WakeUp, a new politically sharp and funny e-zine that complements alt.muslim rather well. We'll be sharing content every now and then, forming some sort of axis-of-whatever along with Shi'a Pundit. (Mar 3, 2003)
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