One of the goals of altmuslim.com has been to create a discourse that carries as well with Muslim audiences as with those who are not Muslim. So it can be challenging to bring some of the weightier topics we discuss to mainstream conferences. For the last two years, we've been lucky enough to be asked to give presentations related to our work at South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive, the web-focused third (along with film and music) of one of the largest cultural events in the USA. This year, we attracted a large audience with a provocative title - Online Extremism - And The Muslims Who Fight It - where we featured Muslims working both to combat the spread of violent ideologies online as well as creating spaces for open dialogue and understanding among/with Muslims online.

The panel featured security expert Mohammad Hluchan (a security expert and translator - he knows seven languages - who works to identify and shut down websites of violent extremists), Mohammad Suleiman Khan (webmaster for Islamica Magazine and founder of the online blogging community Hadithuna, which focuses on providing a platform for a wide variety of Muslim viewpoints), Frank Cilluffo (a Homeland Security expert from George Washington University who promotes a refreshing change in policy from the "with us or against us" mentality of a few years ago), and Shaarik Zafar (a senior policy advisor and the Department of Homeland Security who has been active in both protecting the civil and free speech rights of Muslims as well as enabling ordinary Muslims to become more active in combatting violent ideologies). Even though our panel was scheduled the same time as one of the many interesting keynote speeches at SXSW, it was still one of the larger programs of the conference.

The event was widely covered by livebloggers (an "amazing session"... "forward thinking"... "timely and important"... "interesting and relevant"), newspapers, radio, and more. Next week, the national Canadian TV show The Agenda will recreate our panel discussion for TV.

Inshallah, we'll continue to work with SXSW and other conferences to bridge the gaps of understanding between Muslims and others. If you have suggestions for other thought-provoking programs to organize, please contact us. (5 comments)

What happens when you get 200 academics, activists, policy wonks, politicians, and journalists - all with opinions across the spectrum - into a room to try to determine the best course of action to improve the relationship between the US and the Muslim world? Well, it's happened at this year's fifth annual US-Islamic World Forum, and the answer is: unfortunately, not much. But you sure have a good time doing it.

For those who are unfamiliar with the US-Islamic World Forum, hosted by the Washington-DC based think tank Brookings each year in Doha, Qatar, it has been described as a "Davos of the Muslim world" designed to promote understanding and address conflicts. The forum is invite-only, and it helps if you are already in one or more circles that have found favor with forum organizers. Once selected, no expense is spared (thank you Governent of Qatar) to whisk you to Doha in first-class comfort. An eclectic group of stakeholders, observers, and even proponents of the divide between the US and the Muslim then find themselves in the Doha Ritz-Carlton passionately sharing their thoughts. It's a bit surreal to see figures as diverse as Egyptian televangelist Amr Khaled, Afghan president Hamid Karzai, and CENTCOM commander William Fallon all plying the same room, but hearing perspectives straight from the mouths of those responsible for policy and front page headlines gives things a whole new perspective.

But do viewpoints end up being any more nuanced after a free exchange of views? Not according to one repeat attendee, who likened the event to the movie "Groundhog Day" - each year, the conversation begins again as if the last one never happened. The activists (seeing themselves as proxy stand-ins for the Muslim masses) still feel ignored by those with actual policymaking power, and the neocons continue to hold on to their black-and-white worldview while sipping tea on the shores of the Persian Gulf. It was particularly difficult for me to hear one pundit push the idea that it is still an option to impose democracy militarily (after all, it worked in Germany and Japan, right?) while sitting a short flight away from the most compelling argument against it.

There is another, more valuable point to this conference, however - it's a great way to create networks with like-minded people from a plethora of backgrounds and experiences. Most meaningful for me was spending quality time with a group of committed Western Muslim leaders, activists, and academics who I've worked with and have come to respect over the years - people like Hisham Hellyer (former Brookings), Sherman Jackson (U of Michigan), Ahmed Younis (former MPAC), Salam al-Marayati (current MPAC), Rokhsana Fiaz (Change Institute UK), Dalia Mogahed (Gallup), Awais Sufi (NAML), and Salahuddin Khan (Islamica Magazine), among others. (No comments)

Back in 1988, at the Islamic Center of Southern California (the mosque I had attended since I was a child), Jesse Jackson, a presidential candidate in that year's election, made a campaign stop and speech at the mosque that was well attended by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Whatever you may think of Jackson, it was the first time that Muslims had been courted so visibly in a presidential race by a well-known candidate. From that point on was a sense that there was a space for Muslims, as American citizens who cared about the future of their country, to make themselves heard. It had a long lasting effect on me and many of my colleagues.

Twenty years later, issues concerning Muslims feature prominently in campaigns - though mostly in a negative light. The suspicion of Muslims in the US and elsewhere is so high that Democratic candidate Barack Obama is spending much of his energy denying he is one, regardless of the insinuations that are attached to it. Still, Muslims today have become much more involved in the political system, in all parties and at all levels. The result is a savvy Muslim electorate that takes voting seriously and contributes to campaigns that help achieve common goals with other Americans. Educating ourselves and others is one of those goals.

Today, we're launching a special section devoted to the 2008 US presidential race, a section that will provide in-depth information on the (remaining) candidates for president, where they stand on issues of concern to Muslims, and opinions and features by prominent Muslim Americans. It will also either horrify you or impress you to know that we also have a network of individuals involved with a number of the major campaigns and government agencies who are providing us with insider information on how Muslims are making a constructive difference in the political system.

Click here to view descriptions of the candidates in more detail and what Muslims are saying about them. And if you have something to add, please let us know! (1 comment)

For all its importance to Muslims, the Qur'an has not been methodically explained to a wide non-Muslim audience. Considering the cherry picking done by non-Muslims and Muslims alike, an objective public reading doesn't sound like a bad idea. The online magazine Slate ran a blog series by Jewish columnist David Plotz covering the Bible that was largely successful (if uncontroversial) due to the genuine sense of introspection and a reasonably objective approach.

It is perhaps that sense that Muslim writer and "cultural critic" Ziauddin Sardar hopes to provide as he begins "blogging the Qur'an" on a weekly basis in Britain's Guardian newspaper and website. Before people think that the blog series will be a fawning exercise in hyperbole, Sardar is well known for his "scepticism" as outlined in a range of books including the wonderful Desperately Seeking Paradise. It is the kind of approach that promises to be influential to the people who need it most - Muslims who interpret the Qur'an in a way that exacerbates the clash with modernity and non-Muslims who do the same. Both groups are sympathetic enough to Sardar - to his humility and to his constructive critique - to grant him a willing ear.

It should be noted that Sardar has been beaten to the punch by Islam critic Robert Spencer, who started blogging the Qur'an on a weekly basis in May of last year. Looking at his latest entry, you'll find a surprisingly sedate description of the selected verses scattered with varying degrees of misinterpretation (it's not "up to Allah who believes and who doesn’t," Robert... it's that humans have been given free will to choose their destiny). Still, the idea of explaining the Qur'an in depth to an audience that is already predisposed to despise it is not a very efficient use of influence.

Interestingly, the public commentary will be limited to selected e-mails and responses from Sardar rather than the mudslinging comment threads found on Islam-related blog entries on the Guardian's Comment is Free website. Those (on both sides) who relish the sport of verbal jousting will have to resort to substance, honesty, and patience in their interactions. Letters to the editor in the Internet age? Doesn't sound like a bad idea.

[Zia Sardar is speaking on a panel discussion this Friday at the City Circle in London this Friday on the Pakistan crisis.] (3 comments)

Three days have passed since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto on December 27th, 2007. It is now the last few days of the year and the future of Pakistan seems increasingly in disarray. Shops and markets are still closed across the country. According to news reports, approximately 40 people have died in the ensuing violence, and over 500 cars, 22 trains, 40 banks and various Government offices have been burnt down by unruly mobs. Today is supposed to be the third and final day of the three days of mourning announced by the Government.

In terms of daily life, people across the country and especially here in Karachi are facing a tough time. Owing to the shut down of petrol pumps, most transportation is off the streets. Yesterday evening, there were long lines at the petrol pumps where people were hoping that they might come by some petrol for their cars and motorbikes. In typical Karachi fashion, people having been cooped up in their homes for several days, joking around and exchanging conspiracy theories as they waited for the odd chance that the stations may begin selling fuel. For most, there was no such luck. Families are also facing food shortages since shops have either been closed or have not had their stores replenished since Thursday. It is especially difficult to come across staples like flour, eggs, milk and butter. Since it was the height of wedding season in Pakistan, many weddings have been cancelled and postponed owing to Bhutto's death.

Politically, today is supposed to be a crucial day. Yesterday Dawn News TV aired footage of the supposed shooter who shot and killed Benazir, poking a hole in the Government's theory that Bhutto died of injuries to her head caused by a skull fracture from hitting her head against the lever of her sunroof. The video footage as well as pictures showed a clean cut gunman pointing and shooting a gun at the leader, while the suicide bomber, his face covered by a cloth, waits nearby. It is unlikely that the exact cause of death will ever be determined, but theories abound regarding who was responsible in orchestrating the attack. Today, the leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban in Pakistan, Baitullah Mehsud, issued a statement saying that the Government is wrongly pinning blame on him and that the Taliban were not involved in the killing since "tribal customs prevent him from targeting a woman."

Benazir's last will will be read today by her son Bilawal Bhutto at a meeting of the Pakistan People's Party's Senior Executive Council at Bhutto House in Larkana. It is expected that after the meeting, clearer signals will emerge regarding who will take over the reigns of the Party and whether the PPP will contest upcoming elections, if they are indeed held.

As I sit here writing this update, things continue to remain eerily quiet in Karachi. Seven people were killed in the city yesterday in Lyari, which is a PPP stronghold. It is expected that a formal curfew will be imposed in that area if the violence continues. The Pakistan Army has been deployed in most parts of the city with "shoot at sight" orders for anyone causing any trouble. However, news crews from various parts of the city continue to report incidents of violence in areas off the city's main arteries where fewer Army and police personnel can be found. Since Karachi is an MQM stronghold, many forecast that things will return to normal tomorrow once official mourning comes to an end. Whether this forecast is indeed true remains to be seen in the coming days. (No comments)

Benazir Bhutto was buried yesterday in her home village of Naushero Feroze but the situation here in Karachi continues to remain tense. There is something quite eerie and chilling when a city of 16 million which stays alive late into the night comes to a standstill.

The fallout from the assassination of Benazir Bhutto has been terrible. On Thursday, the news of her death spread like wildfire and many people were stranded at work since the roads were so badly jammed with traffic. Many had to abandon their cars on the side of the road and walk to their destinations and other had to abandon them because they ran out of petrol since pumps had been ordered shut for fear of arson as soon as news of the death was announced. The unfortunate result of this was that many cars that were parked on the side of the roads were burned by the street mobs that took to the roads soon after.

In terms of political fallout, the situation seems extremely uncertain. In the immediate aftermath of the death of Benazir, the leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party issued a statement saying that they were in a state of shock and could not comment on whether they would be contesting the upcoming elections. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who incidentally was also shot at during a rally, that same day issued a statement saying that his party would be boycotting elections. Not only is it unclear whether elections will be held on January 8, 2008, but it still cannot be said whether the major political parties will be contesting them. What is clear is that all election campaigning in the country has come to a complete halt in light of the events following Bhutto’s death.

It is strange to be in Karachi at the death of Benazir Bhutto. I am too young remember the aftermath of when her father, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, was hung by General Zia ul Haque in 1979, but I have been in Karachi during periods of extreme violence. The atmosphere in the city is markedly different from these past violent episodes since the shut down is complete and the fear palpable. Looking down at the city from our roof terrace yesterday evening, one could see plumes of smoke rising from fires. According to news reports, fire crews (which can supposedly be reached by calling 16) can not be reached and are simply not responding to fires. At least three to four banks have been reported looted and over 100 cars burned in the city. All transport, including trains and flights out of the city, had been cancelled since the flight crews were unable to reach the airport. Because the petrol pumps continue to remain shut, people are unable to buy fuel and black marketeers are supposedly selling Iranian petrol for 100 rupees a liter (it usually sells for 50 rupees a liter)

Tomorrow, Benazir’s soyem (the traditional religious services held three days after the burial) will be held all over the country, and it is expected that more violence will take place across the city then. Some reports from the Pakistan People’s Party asserted that the Party will not participate in any political activities for the next forty days which led people to conclude that they too intend to boycott the upcoming polls. However, no definitive reports have emerged in this regard.
(1 comment)

Like many of our readers, I've been filled with many conflicting thoughts and emotions after the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto. After the recent constitutional crisis fostered by Musharraf, it seemed like things couldn't get much worse.

I've never been too thrilled with any of the major political players in Pakistan, though each has their good and bad points. But Benazir's murder has evoked a reaction in the general public not seen since the death of Britain's Princess Diana. Many Muslims I've spoken to today, regardless of their feelings towards Benazir's political legacy, were deeply distressed, as if someone in their family had been lost. (For Zahed and I, this is literally true - our first cousin's children lost their Aunt Benazir today.)

The talking heads today have gone down their expected paths - Pakistan is a failed state whose days are numbered, extremists are poised to get their hands on nuclear weapons, etc. It's easy to write off Pakistan given the dearth of strong and principled political leadership there, combined with the drastic increase in terrorist violence. There is a basis of truth for all of these positions, of course. But as anyone who has visited Pakistan knows, the Pakistani people are resilient and yearn for a free, peaceful, and prosperous country. Against all odds, I remain optimistic that the country will somehow find the stability it so desperately needs.

The outpouring of sympathy by ordinary Muslims and non-Muslims around the world shows that Benazir represented a vision of a modern Muslim society that was almost universally appreciated. That a Muslim woman attained such heights and influence should put to rest the notion that Muslims are inherently anti-female (though, with half the Muslim world having freely elected a Muslim woman leader at some point, the point should have been made long ago).

Associate editor Rafia Zakaria, who is currently in Karachi and experiencing the aftermath firsthand, is preparing a piece for us to run in the coming days. Likewise, I'm contributing an article at Beliefnet.com that focuses on the bigger picture of extremism in Pakistan in general and we'll continue to cover various aspects of the ongoing crisis in Pakistan here. We welcome your thoughts. (3 comments)

Two years ago, after the attacks of 7/7 in London, we started fiddling with Garage Band on our PowerBooks and came up with a podcast to talk about the unfolding events. The first episode was pretty crap, actually, but we persevered to produce better quality weekly episodes after that, expanding the format to include interviews and discussions on art, culture and more. Before 2 months had passed, we were invited to chat about the show - or had excerpts played - on Australian, British, and American radio. The BBC World Service sent a reporter to record us recording a show (an audio mobius strip) for an audio documentary on religious podcasts.

We weren't - and aren't - professionals. We didn't pretend to be religious experts either. But we did feel we have something to offer on Muslim life in the West, having been involved in a number of Muslim organisations, especially in the US. Ours was among the first of a group of Muslim or Islamic (there is a difference) podcasts, including Zahir Janmohamad's Qunoot podcast and Zaytuna's highly regarded show. The whole idea was to produce something that, like altmuslim itself, reached out to both Muslims and non-Muslims in a critical, balanced, and non-dogmatic way.

But our podcast and website are volunteer-run, and we've found ourselves strapped for time as we've extended ourselves to other projects, some still in the making. We'll continue to produce our podcasts on a monthly basis if possible, for those who are interested in such things. But in the meantime, what's a loyal podcast listener to do?

Earlier this year, Riazat Butt, a journalist at the UK's Guardian newspaper began a podcast called Islamophonic. Intrigued by any Muslim-run podcast, we've watched her show move from strength to strength until it was recently named Podcast of the Year. Riazat's cynical wit and engaging interview style has amused even the skeptics, probably because no one knows quite what to do with her. She notes that people wonder "why the programme is so self-critical, or deals with social and political issues rather instead of spiritual matters. The podcast has always been about Muslims and Muslim life and sometimes this has nothing to do with Islam."

Shocking to some, perhaps, but we've taken this approach with altmuslim from the beginning. Discussions on Islam alone can often become dogmatic and coercive. Discussions on the Muslim world, on the other hand, reveal the inherent plurality of those who practice the faith and, by extension, the plurality of interpretations the Muslim world will eventually have to learn to live with.

Both Shahed and I have been guests on Riazat's show, both in the UK and America, and consider her a friend and colleague. In short, she gets it. We wish many others would. (1 comment)

We're getting ready to welcome another Ramadan, and we plan on covering it both here on altmuslim as well as in other publications. I'll be writing about my Ramadan experiences on a daily basis over at Beliefnet.com, in a section entitled Hungry for Ramadan, where I plan on writing about what makes Ramadan in America unique and rewarding.

As I've written before, the spotlight cast upon Muslims makes it particularly challenging to focus on the spiritual aspects of Ramadan. Add to that the myriad responsibilities of a typical spouse, employee, and/or parent, and one can see how difficult it is to find quiet spaces in which to reflect. I'll be trying very hard to create those spaces for myself, most probably at the expense of a good night's sleep. And inshallah, all the contributors to altmuslim will continue to write about it on this site.

May Allah accept your fasts and shower His mercy upon all mankind on this auspicious month. (No comments)

One of the things that makes altmuslim different from many media outlets that focus on Muslims is that we consider ourselves part and parcel of the community that we report on. Our praise comes from an understanding of how challenging the experience of being Muslim in the west is, and our criticism comes from a love for our community and a sincere desire to make it better.

To this end, the editors of altmuslim have made it a point to be as involved as possible with mainstream Muslim organizations, be they local or national. That's why you'll find many of us at this year's ISNA convention, the largest annual gathering of Muslims in North America. Not just as browsers in that convention's infamous bazaar (with the full spectrum of Muslim culture, opinion, and religiosity in view), but speaking on panel discussions and talking with Muslim leaders and activists.

It's one thing to levy criticism of Muslims anonymously from the Internet trenches - which some unfortunately do - but another thing altogether to work closely with leaders, despite possible differences, to help build a better community for all.

So if you see us wandering the halls, or stumble into one of our talks, stop by and say hi. (No comments)

The controversial documentary "Islam vs. Islamists" will be appearing tonight in selected markets across the US, accompanied by a panel discussion. Several PBS stations criticized the film for unfairly portraying ordinary Muslims as being, at best, passive supporters of extremism.

Associate editor Rafia Zakaria, who reviewed the show for altmuslim, is featured in the panel discussion, debating one of the film's subjects, Phoenix physician M. Zuhdi Jasser. Check your local PBS station for the exact time it will be showing in your area. (No comments)

Yeah, yeah. I know you've been hearing it (and waiting) for months and months. We had a teaser up for altmuslim 2.0 since April which shows something resembling an improvement (it was only an early mockup). But even then, we knew we had lots of work to do. Promising to deliver it was the only way we could kick our own asses in the right direction.

We traded loads of ideas between ourselves on layout and content while Shahed redesigned the back end from the ground up (that's right... Shahed is the entire development team!). Everything had to be separated into sections, tags had to be revised, and navigation had to be thought and rethought. Somehow we managed to get something we feel is sustainable. If it isn't, let us know and we'll fix it (um... Shahed's sinister looking bio photo perhaps?).

Over the years, we've had a lot of feedback on what we could do to make the site more useful. We've incorporated many of those suggestions along with some features we thought you might like, including a photo essay feature (Visions) and this here blog. Six years on, we're committed to growing and improving, inshallah.

Now comes the hard part. We still want to get more writers on board to cover issues we haven't been able to (more writers from Europe would be nice) and to broaden the scope a bit so it's not so political (a very fair critique can be read here). We're close to getting some new regular columnists to add to the site. And if you write quality stuff on your own blogs, you might hear from us.

Thanks for being patient with us. Jazakallah khair. (No comments)

My latest op-ed can be found in last Sunday's Chicago Tribune. It is a response to all those who call for Muslims to march in the streets against terrorism.

I wrote it after being asked (for the umpteenth time) why Muslims don't take to the streets to protest terror in their name. Now, I'm all for this in general (I organized a Muslim-led candlelight vigil on 9/12/2001, which over a hundred Muslims attended), but over the years this kind of call has turned into a loyalty test - one that we are destined to fail. I'm not interested in making people simply feel better - I'm interested in eliminating extremism and terrorism in whatever way is possible.

This means several things - having a zero-tolerance policy for extremist rhetoric, keeping a vigilant eye out for anything suspicious, and working to resolve the geopolitical conflicts that fuel the fires of terrorism in the first place. For me, a march just doesn't factor in very high in the fight against extremism, although it used to back in the days after 9/11.

So far, I've seen both Muslims and non-Muslims agree and disagree w/my article - which is just fine by me. At least people are talking about the issue. (1 comment)