altmuslim this week - june 29, 2009 - This week, reeling over the death of Michael Jackson (or is it Mikaeel?), a brutal (and brutally unfair?) new film about the stoning of women in Iran, and our good friend Farah Pandith - the most effective behind-the-scenes American Muslim you've never met - is promoted to a new office by Secretary Clinton. 
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US outreach to Muslims in good hands - Several of us at altmuslim have had the opportunity to work with Farah Pandith, who has just been appointed by Secretary Clinton to be a special representative to Muslim communities worldwide. (June 27, 2009)
Her name is Neda - Many have died tragic - and silent - deaths in the post-election violence in Iran. But one woman, Neda Agha Soltan, became a symbol with her death caught on video. Here, Neda's fiancee, Caspian Makan, comments on her story in comments transcribed exclusively for altmuslim.com. (June 25, 2009)
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altmuslim review 032 - Muslim writers everywhere! We speak about the new wave of Western Muslim literature and interview two authors with recently released books. Our own Irfan Yusuf talks about his memoir, Once Were Radicals and Reza Aslan tells us more about his second book, How to Win a Cosmic War (June 11, 2009)
altmuslim review 031 - Oh, Bama! What does the election of Barack Obama mean for American Muslims, who were both courted and shunned during a long campaign? We speak with American Muslim Democratic activists who were gathered in Washington for the historic inauguration. (March 5, 2009)
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Recent and upcoming talks and offsite articles by altmuslim contributors
State-sponsored Sufism, Ali Eteraz, Foreign Policy, June 10, 2009.
Pushing the Envelope Without Breaking It, Shahed Amanullah, The Mosque in Morgantown, June 2, 2009.
Obama in Egypt: Let the unsaid be said, Zahed Amanullah, Patheos.com, May 28, 2009.
Zahed will be a panelist at Divan 2.0, a debate on the future of the Muslim internet sponsored by the Radical Middle Way at the London School of Economics in London, England, May 22, 2009.
Once Were Radicals (published by Allen and Unwin), the first book by Associate Editor Irfan Yusuf, is released in Australia, May 4, 2009.
Shahed and Wajahat will be speaking at the 3rd Annual Leadership Summit presented by the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals in Princeton, NJ, May 2, 2009.
Shahed will be leading a workshop on Media Strategies & Techniques at the Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow conference in New York, NY, April 24-25, 2009.
Bringing it all back home, Wajahat Ali, The Guardian, Comment is Free, April 9, 2009.
Zahed will be conducting a two day workshop on Blogging and New Media for Italian students at the United States Embassy, Rome, Italy, April 8-9, 2009.
Crusading for Modern Islamic Art, Shahed Amanullah, Beliefnet, March 26, 2009.
Wajahat will be speaking at the Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow conference in Doha, Qatar (January 16-19, 2009)
Finding the middle ground, Hesham Hassaballa, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 8, 2009.
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)
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Media appearances and analysis featuring altmuslim editors
Islamic Society reaches out to other faiths - "ISNA is very interested in extending their connections with Protestant groups," said Rafia Zakaria, an Indiana lawyer and associate editor at altmuslim.com, a Web site that looks at Muslim issues. "Having a figure as high profile as him gives them legitimacy to extend those kinds of alliances with church groups that have a significant amount of power in the United States." (June 21, 2009)
American Muslims, Jews rate Obama’s speech - "He was really pressing for people to say in public what they say in private. Everybody knows what the solutions to a lot of these problems are and I think there is vast agreement on what they are going to be. But nobody really talks about it and puts the cards on the table," said Shahed Amanullah, editor of the Web site altmuslim.com. (June 5, 2009)
A place to explore Muslim American life - "The biggest challenge facing us is more internal - asking the deeper question. Okay, now that we know that we are Muslim Americans or American Muslims, whatever you want to call us, what does that mean?" (May 23, 2009)
The great potential for online Muslim media - "A recent study in the US implies a correlation between non-Muslims who fear Islam and those who don't know any Muslims. The more Muslims get to know their non-Muslim neighbours, the more ability they will have to influence them." (April 29, 2009)
Obama’s entreaty to Islam surprises Muslims - "Here's where the American public is going, and here's where Obama is going and trying to head it off," said Shahed Amanullah, editor and publisher of altmuslim.com. The Bush administration asked Amanullah for help in shaping dialogue with the American Muslim community. "He's heading it off on a global level," Amanullah said. "He's starting at a core of the problem. The core of the problem is the crisis overseas." (April 8, 2009)
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Interfaith work
What is God’s zip code?
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.
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.
Prior claims that American Catholics will place allegiance to their Pope over allegiance to their country are reminiscent of current allegations against American Muslims. By implying that they pray to a different God, (they don’t – Allah is the Arabic word for God – the God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus), the current insinuation is that anyone who is not a Christian is not an American.
Un-American? After listening to the rhetoric in this past presidential campaign, you couldn’t be blamed for reaching that conclusion, but you’d be wrong. The basic principles laid down in both our Constitution as well as our Declaration of Independence – the concepts of equality, liberty, and separation of church and state - all seem to have been ignored in favor of relying on intolerance, fear-mongering, and religious bigotry. The ‘otherization’ of any person based upon race, religion, or ethnicity has been the go-to fallback approach rather than a serious analysis of issues. Since when did the belief in God become a litmus test for the Presidency, or indeed, for citizenship?
The most recent (February 2008 ) Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey of 35,000 people on the American religious landscape provides a useful breakdown of our country’s religious diversity, with over 78% of the respondents identifying themselves as ‘Christian.’ Another 5% belonged to other faiths, but a significant number (16%) labeled themselves either ‘Atheist’, ‘Agnostic’, or simply ‘nothing in particular’. Yet they are all Americans.
The insinuation that a non-Christian is un-American defies all logic and reason – discrimination under the guise of religious bigotry is still discrimination. I’m blessed to count Muslims, Christians, and agnostics amongst my relatives. I’m certain that many other American families can claim the same diversity, if not the same faith groups, around their Thanksgiving table every year as well.
While faith and works remain the core values of many religions, it is ultimately the private domain of each and every one of us, whether we choose to profess a faith affiliation publicly or personally, or even whether we believe in a higher power at all. I’m able to serve lemonade and cookies at my son’s Jesuit high school’s Open House alongside mothers of different faiths… because we’re not demanding adherence to the minutiae of each other’s religions, we’re simply uniting together for the common good. Isn’t that commonality of purpose the basis for citizenship – a tacit acknowledgment of the Golden Rule?
Arizona recently added a new license plate to its Motor Vehicle Division website – a picturesque plate which depicts the Grand Canyon at sunset with the logo ‘Live the Golden Rule’. This special license plate serves as a travelling billboard which extols the virtue of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” a life principle shared by many faiths. Imagine the possibilities for improved social justice, civic involvement, and simple acts of kindness if we all adopted this motto as our own.
Dr. Paul Eppinger, Executive Director of the Arizona Interfaith Movement, is always the last person at each board meeting to identify himself. He does so beautifully, by opening his arms wide in welcome after listening to the litany of faith groups present. He says, “I’m Paul, and I am all of the above.” You can’t get more American than that.
Dilara Hafiz is Vice President of the Arizona Interfaith Movement & co-author of The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook.
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