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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Junaid Afeef
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CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Junaid Afeef
Chicago, Illinois USA

Junaid M. Afeef is an attorney, activist and writer based in Illinois. Over the past 11 years Junaid has amassed extensive civil and criminal litigation experience from private practice as well from public service with the Cook County Public Defender's Office and the Chicago Transit Authority Law Department. Presently Junaid is in solo private practice. He is also a Research Associate with the Institute for Social Policy & Understanding. Junaid is a founding member of the Muslim Bar Association in Illinois, and he is also one of the original members of the National Association of Muslim Lawyers. Over the years he has served on the boards of numerous civic, social and religious organizations.
Junaid's advocacy and activism have been reported on in newspapers such as the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, and many other newspapers and magazines across the United States and in Europe. His essays and commentaries have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, the Islamic Horizons, the Dallas Morning News, as well as numerous online magazines. He can be reached at junaid.afeef(at)gmail.com. |  |
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Education
The case for an American madrassah
By Junaid M. Afeef, May 25, 2009 In order for American Muslims to dispel the misperception of incompatibility, American Islamic scholars will need the intellectual gravitas to go toe to toe with foreign trained and overseas scholars. Zaytuna's proposed "Muslim Georgetown" could achieve this. ( 18 comments)
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Former British PM Tony Blair
More fundamentalism, please
By Junaid Afeef, April 29, 2009 Last week, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair gave a speech in Chicago that focused entirely on a "fundamental" Islam that is "the opposite of what extremists preach." Instead, if his focus been on extremism as a global threat, he would have been justified in confronting extremist interpretations of Islam. ( 23 comments)
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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)
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US Immigration
The detention & murder of Hassiba Belbachir
By Junaid M. Afeef, June 13, 2005 On March 17, 2005, 28 year-old Hassiba Belbachir died mysteriously at the McHenry County Jail while in the custody of the US Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ( 2 comments)
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Prejudice
Thank you, Rev. Creight Lovelace!
By Junaid M. Afeef, May 26, 2005 I am thankful for Rev. Lovelace's incendiary words because they help bring to light the steadily growing Islamophobia in the United States. ( 1 comments)
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Genocide in Rwanda
What would I have done?
By Junaid M. Afeef, May 16, 2005 Am I a Paul Rusesabagina? If I were in Paul Rusesabagina's shoes in 1994 would I have been able to do what he did? ( 2 comments)
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Book "Standing Alone in Mecca"
Fighting second-class status
By Junaid M. Afeef, March 11, 2005 Ms. Nomani's methods may not be the least intrusive means of dealing with these problems, but they certainly are very promising. ( 6 comments)
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