In the news
Articles and quotes from altmuslim have been featured in the Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, San Jose Mercury News, BBC Online, the New York Times, the Seattle Times, the Daily Star (Bangladesh), Utne Reader, Alternet.org, the Hindustan Times (India), CBS News, Oakland Tribune and the Sunday Times (UK), and many other newspapers and magazines. Analysts from altmuslim also appear regularly on TV and radio, including CNN and CNN International, Voice of America, NPR, BBC Radio and Television, Fox News (albeit reluctantly), and more.
Indianapolis Star
Islamic Society reaches out to other faiths
By Robert King, June 21, 2009 "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."
CNN
American Muslims, Jews rate Obama’s speech
By Paul Courson, Sarah Baker, Alison Ford, Khadijah Rentas, Richard Allen Greene and Joe Sterling, June 5, 2009 "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.
Washington Post
A place to explore Muslim American life
By Jacqueline L. Salmon, May 23, 2009 "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?"
Minareti.it
The great potential for online Muslim media
By Imane Barmaki, April 29, 2009 "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."
San Francisco Chronicle
Obama’s entreaty to Islam surprises Muslims
By Matthai Kuruvila, April 8, 2009 "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."
WireTap Magazine
Domestic crusader
By M. Junaid Levesque-Alam, October 11, 2008 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.
Seattle Times
National publisher kills Spokane journalist’s book
By Erik Lacitis, August 20, 2008 [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."
The Washington Post/Newsweek
Self censoring Muslims
By Asra Q. Nomani, August 12, 2008 "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.'"
The Wall Street Journal
You still can’t write about Muhammad
By Asra Q. Nomani, August 5, 2008 "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."
Comment is Free, The Guardian (UK)
Why the silence?
By Symon Hill, January 8, 2008 "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."
Christian Science Monitor (USA)
Does the US tolerate anti-Muslim speech?
By Omar Sacirbey, December 7, 2007 "You see more hostility towards Muslims now than you did the year after 9/11," says Shahed Amanullah, editor of a Muslim web-zine, AltMuslim.com. He and other observers point to America's failure to capture Osama bin Laden, the continuing difficulties in Iraq and Afghanistan, and news of terrorist plots overseas as reasons why many Americans feel hostile towards Muslims.
Berkeley Engineering News
In the great Berkeley free speech tradition
By Rachel Shafer, November 9, 2007 [Amanullah] claims no personal agenda other than concerned dad. “I want my children to grow up in a country where they, as Muslims, feel valued,” he says, “and where their religion doesn’t contradict their nationality.”
The Cultural Connect
Shaping the debate on Muslims
By Saba Nasser, October 19, 2007 The publication [altmuslim.com] promotes critical analysis, discussion, and debate within the Muslim community in the West while also showcasing commentary for non-Muslims who want a sense of the dialogue going on among Western Muslims.
SXSW 2007
Blogging Where Speech Isn’t Free (.mp3)
By Jon Lebkowsky, Shahed Amanullah, Robert Faris, Shava Nerad, Ethan Zuckerman, and Jasmina Tesanovic, July 9, 2007 Many nations have no tradition of free speech, and in those contexts, blogging can be extremely dangerous. How can those bloggers protect themselves, and how can we help them? (Panel discussion at SXSW Interactive, Austin, Texas, March 11, 2007) Audio available here.
Chicago Tribune
Window into ‘hearts and minds’ of Muslims
By Hesham Hassaballa, July 7, 2007 As influential American Muslim thinker Shahed Amanullah wrote on altmuslim.com, a prominent Muslim Web site, "one needs to ask non-Muslim Americans the same questions about terrorism to see where the answers deviate."
BeliefNet.com
In Allah’s Name, Denouncing Terror
By Dilshad Ali, June 19, 2007 "The Qur'an has a strong ethical orientation to help people regardless of their religious affiliation and calls people to faith based on reason and spiritual intuition, not force."
ReligionWriter.com
An Independent Muslim-American Press?
By Andrea Useem, June 11, 2007 After the 9/11 attacks, the American-born Amanullah, now 39, watched his community "circle the wagons" under a barrage of sometimes hostile attention and decided to create Altmuslim.com, a news and opinion site that would allow Muslims to discuss their own issues, on their own terms.
San Francisco Chronicle
Security agency enlisting Muslims to rebut radicals
By Matthai Chakko Kuruvila, June 5, 2007 "I like the idea of shifting the focus from policing an entire community to doing ideological battles with the very people who are threatening," said Shahed Amanullah, 39, an Austin blogger and editor of Altmuslim.com."
Tuscon Weekly
Intolerance is alive and very well
By Connie Tuttle, May 24, 2007 "How many consumers of American media (myself included) are even aware of sites such as altmuslim.com? News flash: There are intelligent and thoughtful Muslims; there are Muslims who can engage in critical thinking."
Islamica Magazine
Shaping Islam In America: 10 Young Muslim Visionaries
By Jordan Robinson, May 10, 2007 "[Shahed] sees a light at the end of the tunnel, and for Amanullah, that light comes from his MacBook laptop screen. The Internet can be a powerful tool for open discussion, criticism, engagement and empowerment. But few efforts from the Muslim community have leveraged it as well as altmuslim."
Asians in Media Magazine
Officials deny talks of restricting Pakistani travel to US
By Sunny Hundal, May 8, 2007 Zahed Amanullah, editor-in-chief of the popular American online magazine alt.muslim, told AIM magazine: "Given the immediate denial by DHS and the Home Office, I don't feel that the visa restriction was ever seriously considered." He added: "Still, I think it's plausible that the idea of restricting access was floated internally, if only to gauge the potential ramifications."
The Guardian Podcasts
Islamophonic for Wednesday 25 April
By Riazat Butt, April 24, 2007 This week we look at shisha bars - increasingly popular with young Muslims - an alternative to the pub, a safe place and a shared space for people of all ages, races and religions to kick back and hang out. But the smoking ban, which kicks in on July 1, will put an end to this throbbing social scene. So what next? In the studio we have Zahed Amanullah, Associate Editor of altmuslim.com, and Mohammed Imran, CEO of the Muslim Youth Helpline.
The American Prospect
Irshad Manji’s flying leap
By Madeleine Elfenbein, April 19, 2007 "In a world with over a billion Muslims, why does Irshad Manji seem so alone? As a critic of Islam at least, she is not. Websites such as Eteraz.org and AltMuslim.com as well as personal blogs by Muslims from all over the world are full of such critiques. They are also full of critiques of Manji, who is often accused of pandering to an Islamophobic mainstream press and focusing the attention garnered by her cause on herself."
The Washington Times
Finding The Moderates
By Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, April 17, 2007 "While Muslim moderates need to do more, I have seen a wide variety of moderates speaking with a stronger voice over the past few years, through such publications as Islamica Magazine and the website Altmuslim.com. We would do well to acknowledge these voices."
Soulcast Radio
A Conversation With Shahed Amanullah
By Chuck Freeman, March 22, 2007 "Soul Stirrer: Conversation with Shahed Amanullah, creator of & editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com. Independent, introspective voices for American Muslims." Listen to the interview here. (MP3)
Austin-American Statesman
Sunday SXSW Interactive Wrapup
By Sarah Lindner, March 13, 2007 "'Blogging Where Speech Isn't Free' was enough to get you all fired up about what the Net could do beyond disseminate pictures of a shorn Britney Spears. Especially interesting was Shahed Amanullah who talked about altmuslim.com and the role of blogging as a force of moderation and modernity in Islam."
InformationWeek
Online Retailer’s Anti-War Comment Sparks Anger
By K. C. Jones, January 24, 2007 "Shahed Amanullah, an editor for a Web site providing a critical analysis of news about Muslims, said that he thinks it was inappropriate for the employee to air political views during a business transaction. He said the company did the right thing by firing the employee, but it was not working hard enough to address the fallout."
Austin-American Statesman
A Muslim voice for a new generation
By Eileen E. Flynn, January 8, 2007 "What fuels him is a desire to be heard and to offer a platform for people like him - Muslims born and raised in America - to have reasoned, balanced discussions about Islam, world events, culture and politics. He's encouraging the kind of internal debate he doesn't see reflected in mainstream media or even in Muslim media, which he says is often tied into established political organizations and not truly independent."
InformationWeek
Muslim Bloggers Debate Apple ‘Mecca’ Posting
By K.C. Jones, October 17, 2006 "Shahed Amanullah, editor for a Web site that provides a critical analysis of issues regarding the Muslim community, was one of the first to speak out. Like many others, he objected to MEMRI's report, saying the organization often chooses articles that reflect Muslims in a poor light."
Mediachannel
Islamophobia, Panic and Public Media
By Patricia R. Zimmerman, October 5, 2006 "[F]rom the Pope to Zidane's headbutt to racial profiling on airline flights, Altmuslim.com features some of the most penetrating writing and news coverage from a quite different vantage point."
San Francisco Chronicle
Papal gaffe was setback for religious dialogue
By Matthai Chakko Kuruvila, September 26, 2006 "It never ceases to amaze me that some Muslims choose to act out the stereotypes they complain about," said Shahed Amanullah, a former Oakland resident who is editor of altmuslim.com, a popular Muslim blog. "It doesn't matter if it's a handful of people on a Karachi street. Those are the images that go out and represent all of us."
BeliefNet.com
The Challenge Goes Out to All American Muslims
By Omar Sacirbey, September 12, 2006 "It's good that there's internal debate and good that America sees it because one of the fears Americans have about American Muslims is that we're automatons that do what people tell us to do. When Americans see our internal debates, I think that reassures them that we're human, and we're trying to resolve our issues."
San Mateo County Times
Bay Area still feeling 9/11 reverberations
By Erik N. Nelson, September 11, 2006 Because of Ahmad's name, he is routinely selected for lengthy identity checks at ticket counters and prohibited from online or kiosk check-in. "To be clear, this is a knucklehead policy," he said. What's especially enervating to Ahmad is that he only gets picked on by one airline: Southwest. It got to the point where he wrote a letter to the company, posted on altmuslim.com, blasting the company for overzealously using a passenger screening list provided by the Transportation Security Administration.
Washington Post
Did Muhammad Really Say That?
By Omar Sacirbey, August 5, 2006 "With this apostasy issue, the differences become so glaring, with one side saying, 'put to death,' and the other saying, 'no, free will.' People are coming from two worlds," said [Shahed] Amanullah of altmuslim.com. "The cultural differences in the Muslim world stem from the hadith."
Christian Science Monitor
Faces of US Muslim and Jewish dissent
By Omar Sacirbey, August 3, 2006 Muslims in the United States must decide whether they see groups like Hamas and Hizbullah as legitimate resistance or the cause of Muslim troubles in the region, [explains Shahed Amanullah, editor of AltMuslim.com]. 'When the dust settles, there will be a big debate about the role of these militias,' Amanullah says. 'But as long as Israel continues to bomb, that debate will take a back seat to the civilian death toll.'
Sunday Times
The World Delivered To You: 20 Intriguing Podcasts
By Robbie Hudson, June 22, 2006 Mind Expanding - altmuslim.com: This transatlantic magazine, produced by Muslims, posts monthly podcasts that articulately discuss pressing current issues, such as the way that the recent Danish cartoon furore has been hijacked by extremists on both sides.
Mail & Guardian
Cartoon debate rages in online forums
By Reesha Chibba and Riaan Wolmarans, February 8, 2006 Safiyyah Ally, a Muslim writer, published an article on Altmuslim.com on Wednesday last week, saying: 'I'm quite troubled over the cartoon controversy in Denmark, not because of the cartoons themselves, which I agree are offensive, but rather because of the absurd overreaction of Muslims worldwide.'
Worldpress.org
Top Ten Stories of 2005
By Staff, February 3, 2006 "In its Top Ten Good News Stories of 2005, altMuslim.com lauded the Muslim response to the Katrina and Kashmir disasters."
BBC Radio
Pods and Blogs - BBC Radio Five Live
By Rhod Sharp & Chris Lawrence, August 18, 2005 How Britain's Muslim community should deal with extremism has been a hot topic in recent weeks. The guys at altmuslim.com have an interesting transatlantic perspective.
KPFA Pacifica Radio
Bombing and Backlash
By Gina Hotta, August 13, 2005 We find out what's happening to the Pakistani community in England as a result of the bomb blasts in London. Talking about the atmosphere there as well as the community's response is Zahed Amanullah in London, who is an editor of altmuslim.com.
Voice of America
Quest to Create “Progressive” Islam
By Carolyn Weaver, April 21, 2005 "If our goal is to change mainstream Muslim opinion about some of these issues, and have them take a serious look at them, then we have to do it at a level that they respect. I would hate for a debate over what is progressive to overshadow some of the real points we're trying to make."
Voice of America
Islam and the Power of the Internet
By Carolyn Weaver, April 12, 2005 "Over the last several years, we've seen an emergence of just amazing Muslim thinkers and writers on the Internet, various Web logs, news sites, various commentators -- people, who in some cases have never spoken out publicly about anything before, but with the ease of the Internet have been able to express themselves."
Jerusalem Report
The Americanization Of Islam?
By Jennifer Friedlin, November 17, 2004 "After 9/11, established leaders were reluctant to hear self-critique or analyze our values and positions," says Shahed Amanullah, editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com, one of several websites that provide alternative news and commentary for the Muslim community. "New voices are being articulated, and a lot of people are coming out of the woodwork."
Washington Post
For Muslims, A Beleaguered Feeling
By Caryle Murphy, October 15, 2004 Amanullah said he found the rhetoric of most Muslim leaders so "simplistic and naive" that he founded altmuslim.com as a forum to candidly discuss problems in the Muslim community.
Santa Fe New Mexican
Progressive Muslims
By John Slattery, September 29, 2004 Some other sites worth viewing for an insight into modern Islamic views include the news sites MuslimWakeUp! and altmuslim.com. Both highly recommended.
New York Daily News
Genocide In Sudan Can Wait No Longer
By Stanley Crouch, August 5, 2004 This discussion is happening now on the most serious Muslim Web sites, like altmuslim.com, which recently featured an article by Naeem Mohaiemen, "The Muslim World's Shame."
BBC Online
US Muslim Woman Defies Hardliners
By Seema Sirohi, July 26, 2004 [Asra Nomani] has however received backing in internet chat rooms and in articles that appear on liberal Muslim websites such as Muslimwakeup.com and altmuslim.com.
New York Times
Muslim Women Seeking A Place In The Mosque
By Laurie Goodstein, July 22, 2004 Shahed Amanullah, an engineer and editor in chief of the Web site alt.muslim, said that about six months ago he was shown the blueprints for a mosque being built in Berkeley, California.
Seattle Times
Between The Lines: Postings From Hell
By Tom Brown, June 12, 2003 There are... a number of Muslim web sites that are well worth visiting. A good site is alt.muslim, which runs a lot of news with a Muslim perspective and also covers arts, culture and other topics.
San Jose Mercury News
Net Plays Big Role In War News, Commentary
By Mary Anne Ostrom, February 28, 2003 "Before 9/11, Muslims didn't want to be acknowledged. Now we don't want people to think Osama Bin Laden speaks for us,'' said [alt.muslim editor Shahed] Amanullah.
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