http://www.altmuslim.com Global perspectives on Muslim life, politics, and culture en-us editor@altmuslim.com Copyright 2008 altmuslim.com 2008-10-10T07:59:01-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/theres_something_about_aishah/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/theres_something_about_aishah/#When:07:59:01Z There's something not quite right about seeing a citation for One Thousand and One Nights in a bibliography for a novel about the Lady Aishah, Prophet Muhammad's famous wife. What it says about an author who would, in writing about the early Muslim community, use the collection of stories that has given us Aladdin, Ali Baba (he of the forty thieves), Sinbad the sailor, and the wife-killing yet story-loving king, Shahrayar, is a lot that makes any discerning reader uncomfortable. This anomaly in the bibliography is certainly much more indicative as a factor that "stunts intelligent discourse about the Muslim world" than "fear", as Asra Nomani put it in a Wall Street Journal article about Random House's last-minute decision to not publish the book. But the citation does, however, fit in with the idea of the exotic and mystical Orient, an idea that is fed word after word, and page after page of the much-debated novel about the Prophet's wife, which hits bookstores in the US and UK this week. 2008-10-10T07:59:01-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/the_dilemma_of_the_die_hards/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/the_dilemma_of_the_die_hards/#When:23:00:00Z As the country mournfully marked the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, we must also reflect on the current state of the "war on terror." In the current presidential campaign, there is a fundamental difference between the two candidiates over the central focus: Senator John McCain continues to call Iraq the "central front" in the war on terror, while Senator Obama has declared that the "real war on terror" is in Afghanistan, and he has even indicated he will attack bin Laden or his associates, without the permission of Pakistan if necessary. Yet, both of these approaches fall completely short. The war against the terrorists, which should replace the term "war on terror," is a multi-faceted conflict with many fronts: ideological, financial, legal, and yes, military, and each front needs to be given equal attention. Hesham Hassaballa 2008-10-08T23:00:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/mavericks_action_without_thought/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/mavericks_action_without_thought/#When:11:00:00Z At present, the talk of judgment, especially of the political kind, is very loud in the American public sphere. Astonishingly, it is startlingly absent in the political decisions made by those very same people who seem to value judgment as a desirable personal trait. The reelection of George W. Bush in 2004 clearly indicated that political sensibility had suffered a heart attack in America. His abysmal management of the two wars he launched and the current state of economy testify to the lack of prudence in the American people's decision to reelect him. In the past few days an avalanche of political decisions, made especially by Republicans, suggests that good judgment was now on life support. Muqtedar Khan 2008-10-06T11:00:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/allah_made_him_funny/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/allah_made_him_funny/#When:11:00:00Z Chicago born comedian Azhar Usman is on a mission. Ever since joining with like-minded Muslim comedians to form the Allah Made Me Funny comedy troupe, he has watched his foray into a uniquely Western art form inspire Muslim comedians across the world. Similarly, the trio reached new audiences whose prejudices about Islam and Muslims were challenged with humor. Now, with the theatrical release of the widely anticipated concert film featuring the Allah Made Me Funny troupe, he is setting his sights on getting more Muslims involved with Hollywood, but on their own terms. Editor-in-chief Shahed Amanullah spoke with Usman about his next project (a dramatic short film entitled "The Boundary" that stars "Star Trek" alum Alexander Siddig), how Muslims can take advantage of the unique opportunities they have to produce quality media, and whether Hollywood may not be as anti-Muslim as you might have thought. Shahed Amanullah 2008-10-03T11:00:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/dueling_partners_pakistan_and_america/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/dueling_partners_pakistan_and_america/#When:23:00:00Z A country once callously shrugged off simply as India’s “lesser” neighbor, now commands global attention and scrutiny as the next, crucial battleground on the never ending “war on terror.” Both Senator McCain and Senator Obama discussed Pakistan in last week’s Presidential debates as they detailed their policy initiatives for pacifying the region of its Taliban stronghold. Even Sarah Palin received a surreal crash course in U.S.-Pakistan relations due to a memorable and friendly meeting with newly elected Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari. However, as respected and prolific commentator, author and critic Tariq Ali observes in his new book “The Duel: Pakistan on the Flight Path of American Power,” the selfish, inequitable relationship between both countries has far reaching, historical roots directly contributing to the tenuous geopolitical stability of modern day Central Asia. In this exclusive interview, Tariq Ali, a seasoned journalist and Pakistani insider, focuses on all major players, including the Bush Administration, Bhutto, Musharraf, the Pakistani military, and a self centered and oppressive elite as prime contributors to Pakistan’s current volatility. Wajahat Ali 2008-09-30T23:00:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/let_the_quran_define_itself/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/let_the_quran_define_itself/#When:03:56:00Z In the Arab world, it is held as an unadulterated truth that the Qur’an is best read in its original classical Arabic. But is keeping it closed off to further translation supporting God’s will or suppressing it? Many believe that what differentiates the Qur’an from other holy books is that it is undiluted by translation, that once a word is translated it loses its original breadth and depth. But is that really the case? Can we not also make the argument that a word, once translated into 100 languages, expresses an even greater breadth and depth? The Qur’an defines itself. Less perfectly, perhaps, in Swedish than in Arabic, but surely far more valuably to the Swedes. One cannot hold goodness hostage to perfection. 2008-09-30T03:56:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/a_bit_of_black_cloth/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/a_bit_of_black_cloth/#When:05:27:00Z The hijab (headscarf) has burst into the passionate and often confused discussion of current events and has become a highly charged battle standard on both sides of the veil. It has become an object of rage and indignation for many non-Muslims who see the practice as a backward custom, but one which is defiantly elbowing its way into the popular culture with increasing demands to be respected along with the identifying dress of other world religions. The phenomenon which most interests me, is the western woman convert to Islam with no experience of veiling growing up in the West who embraces hijab. It is, however, a phenomenon with what appears to be a remarkably short and identifiable history. 2008-09-27T05:27:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/exploring_the_roots_of_obsession/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/exploring_the_roots_of_obsession/#When:11:00:00Z The venom created by the films "Relentless" and "Obsession: Radical Islam's War With the West" has been slowly working its way into the hearts and minds of people across the country for a couple of years. Now the same group that brought us these atrocities is coming out with another film "The Third Jihad". These films are only part of what Bob Crane has called a "tsunami of Islamophobia" that seems to be rushing in ever higher waves towards the Muslim community in America. These films are verbal and visual terrorism. Twenty-eight million copies of a DVD of the film "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" have been distributed free of cost in 70 newspapers and magazines across the country. The film was first released a few years ago and has been shown around the country. I wrote about my impressions and concerns when I viewed the film in 2007 and again in early 2008 when "Fitna" another such film was released. 2008-09-25T11:00:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/the_tyranny_of_complexity_is_at_the_heart_of_this_crisis/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/the_tyranny_of_complexity_is_at_the_heart_of_this_crisis/#When:23:00:00Z When Naomi Klein published her latest book, The Shock Doctrine last year (recently out in paperback), she sought to illustrate the theory that the free market policies of economist Milton Friedman were pushed through in countries such as Chile and Iraq while their citizens were in shock from disaster or upheaval. Such policies were then used to transfer wealth and assets from governments to corporations. She noted then that the disasters did not have to be natural or military-led, but economic. Enter the current crisis in Wall Street, where a $700 billion bailout package is being promoted as immediately necessary to stave off further financial catastrophe. In a short space of time, evidence of Klein's theory have already surfaced in the form of Section 8 of the Bush administration's bailout plan, which states that as-yet undetermined decisions based on the plan are "non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency." Klein spoke with our Wajahat Ali on the consequences of the current financial crisis, where the seeds where planted, and how politicians from both sides helped contribute to a new round of "shock therapy." Wajahat Ali 2008-09-23T23:00:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/celebrating_ramadan_jihadi_style/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/celebrating_ramadan_jihadi_style/#When:12:40:00Z Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and serves as a spiritual boot camp for Muslims. In this month, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk everyday; abstaining from food, water, sex and anything unpleasant and immoral. One is not allowed to get angry, speak rudely or even think of bad things. The purpose of the month is to take a break from deep entanglements in mundane affairs and make a systematic and concerted effort to reconnect with the divine and work on improving one's personal moral character. For me, Ramadan is about returning to the fountain of truth and drinking from it as deeply as possible. It is not the parched throat but rather the parched soul that is my concern, so I study the Quran and contemplate on it. Other Muslims adhere more closely to rituals. I believe that while rituals discipline, knowledge is more transformative. But too each his own. The goal in Ramadan is really is to find a way, ritual, spiritual or intellectual, to get closer to God. But unfortunately, for some Muslims, murder and mayhem rather than prayer and fasting have become the way to celebrate Ramadan. Muqtedar Khan 2008-09-23T12:40:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/its_not_true_that_we_dont_want_to_be_associated_with_muslims/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/its_not_true_that_we_dont_want_to_be_associated_with_muslims/#When:23:00:00Z By the time former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean was forced to abandon his 2004 Presidential run, few thought he would still manage to transform the Democratic Party. His tenure shortly afterwards as the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee built on his pioneering use of the Internet to mobilize grassroots Democrats and accelerate fundraising from millions of small donors, strategies that have been used by the current Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama to great effect. His sometimes controversial "50-state" strategy has arguably made many "Red" (Republican) districts competitive nationwide, with an infrastructure in place to assist Democratic campaigns at all levels. In the midst of a historic and heated Presidential election, Dean spoke to Associate Editor Wajahat Ali to make his case for Barack Obama and the Democratic Party, Democratic “cultural values,” the legacy of the Bush administration, the current economic crisis, and how to deal with the Muslim world and the “war on terror. Wajahat Ali 2008-09-21T23:00:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/a_time_to_kick_the_habit/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/a_time_to_kick_the_habit/#When:11:00:00Z Ramadan is a month of cleansing: a month during which the believer is spiritually and physically cleansed from the impurities that are an inevitable fact of life on earth estranged from the Lord God. It is fitting to fast to achieve this goal. As physicians, whenever we want an accurate picture of the health and actions of the body's metabolic pathways, we ask the patient to fast before having their blood drawn. Before I do a procedure called a bronchoscopy, in which I place a small camera into the patient's lungs, I ask the patient to fast the night before. Fasting helps the body be in a state of equilibrium, which we call "homeostasis." So does the fast of Ramadan: it helps the spirit reach its state of homeostasis. Hesham Hassaballa 2008-09-18T11:00:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/dont_worry_were_going_to_do_something/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/dont_worry_were_going_to_do_something/#When:22:35:00Z Seven years ago, four planes hijacked by 19 Arab Muslim men crashed into specially chosen sites of American significance in New York City, the country’s financial and cultural capital, and Washington, D.C., our political capital. As we know, the hijackers of United Flight 93 only partially succeeded in their mission of destruction: the brave passengers of that flight managed to down the plane in a field in Pennsylvania. All on board died, but none on the ground did. In passenger Tom Burnett’s last call to his wife from aboard the plane, he said, “Don’t worry, we’re going to do something.” The passengers of United Flight 93 did not go down without a fight. They stood up for themselves and for the American people, paying the ultimate price. 2008-09-16T22:35:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/an_apology/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/an_apology/#When:21:24:00Z On September 11th, 2008, while countless American flags whipped in the wind and the television and radio waves were dominated by remembrances, recordings, and stories about the terror attacks of seven years ago, I attended the funeral of Imam W.D. Mohammed (may God be pleased with him). For me, it was a somber day, but I found myself mostly lost in thought: about African-American Muslim communities, about the challenges ahead in American Muslim institution-building, and about the future of Islam in America. If you don't know who Imam WDM was, you should look him up. The Sufis say: "The true sage belongs to his era." And of the many gifts given to Imam WDM by God, perhaps the most obvious and beneficial one was the Imam's profound understanding of the principles of religion, and his adeptness at intelligently applying those Islamic principles in a socially and culturally appropriate manner befitting the everyday lives of his North American followers. 2008-09-14T21:24:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/if_we_become_independent_thinkers_we_can_make_a_contribution/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/if_we_become_independent_thinkers_we_can_make_a_contribution/#When:23:00:00Z As Imam Warith Deen Mohammed was laid to rest yesterday, many people are learning more about what he was able to achieve during his lifetime of leadership. Too many outside the Muslim community still conflate his leadership among mainstream African-American Muslims with the smaller (yet more visible) Nation of Islam led by Louis Farrakhan. And many Muslims are still unaware of the efforts he made to bridge the gap between disparate Muslim communities, as well as between Muslims and those of other faiths. As Muslim American leaders who worked closely with Imam Mohammed flew to Villa Park, IL for the burial, and mourners reflected on his vision for a united and engaged Muslim community, many are also wondering what legacy "Brother Imam" will leave for Muslim Americans to follow. In this, his last known interview, he speaks to our colleagues at Islamica Magazine about Black American culture, his struggles with the Nation of Islam, and his vision for the future of Islam in America. 2008-09-11T23:00:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/the_imam_cares/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/the_imam_cares/#When:08:56:00Z Muslim leaders in the US often find themselves in the media spotlight, with all the attendant fanfare and occasional controversy. For the past few decades, however, one major Muslim American leader managed to keep a low profile while at the same time leaving a lasting impression on the greater Muslim American landscape. That man was Imam Warith Deen Muhammad, who rose to prominence through the Nation of Islam led by his father, Elijah Muhammad, to become a globally recognized Muslim leader. He died yesterday at the age of 74. WD Mohammed eventually rose to prominence in both African-American and immigrant Muslim communities, became the first Muslim to offer an invocation in the US Senate, and served in leadership positions of countless Muslim and interfaith organizations. Zahed Amanullah 2008-09-10T08:56:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/between_american_society_and_the_american_story/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/between_american_society_and_the_american_story/#When:19:35:00Z Justice Felix Frankfurter once observed that it is neither law, religious creed nor ideology that holds America together; it is, rather, a "binding tie of cohesive sentiment." As a Jew, Frankfurter understood that while "sentiment" was not the most stately concept it had its clear advantages. For, while not totally immune to abuses of power, sentiment is far more resistant than law, theology or ideology. A tyrannical government might condemn today's saint as tomorrow's heretic, but it cannot remove feelings of solidarity and empathy from the hearts and minds of those who see him as one of their own. Not only, however, was Justice Frankfurter a Jew, he was an immigrant. And this too surely helped him see the importance of "cohesive sentiment," even over such lofty concepts as law, equality or democracy. 2008-09-08T19:35:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/i_did_all_this_in_the_service_of_a_truth/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/i_did_all_this_in_the_service_of_a_truth/#When:03:12:00Z Back in April of this year, I received a phone call from University of Texas, Austin professor Denise Spellberg, an Islamic Studies expert in whose class I have guest lectured the past two years. She brought to my attention a book she had been sent to review entitled Jewel of Medina, a book she found offensive for its portrayal of Aisha, the youngest wife of the Prophet Muhammad. In a turn from most literary depictions of Aisha, this one was heavily fictionalized, with a dramatic story arc that, to Spellberg, represented a racy novel rather than an accurate depiction of her life. (Spellberg should know - her own scholarly work on Aisha is known as one of the most authoritative books on the subject.) As I had not heard anything of the book, I sent an e-mail inquiry to a private listserv for graduate students in Islamic studies, describing the phone call I just received and asked if anyone could tell me more. Shahed Amanullah 2008-09-05T03:12:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/shed_the_cynicism_and_get_engaged/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/shed_the_cynicism_and_get_engaged/#When:16:12:00Z I was there. One of the 84,000 at Invesco Field witnessing history. The day and the moment were as inspiring as it was profound. As the chants of "yes we can" reverberated through the stadium, they re-ignited feelings of optimism about America's future, which in the last eight years had been jaded by the politics of fear and divisiveness. Perhaps no group has been more vilified and continues to bear the brunt of this politics of fear than Muslims and Arabs. Seated next to me at Invesco was Mazen Asbahi, the Chicago attorney who was appointed as national coordinator for American Muslim and Arab outreach by the Obama campaign. Mazen lasted only a few weeks. His resignation came in the wake of discredited websites spuriously alleging his links to an imam (Muslim spiritual leader) and that imam's links to the Muslim Brotherhood, a socio-political, albeit often controversial, movement that originated in Egypt. Mazen resigned not because he did anything wrong but simply because he put his country first. 2008-09-03T16:12:00-06:00 http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/ramadan_counterculture_and_soul/ http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/ramadan_counterculture_and_soul/#When:11:00:00Z Each religion has a history. Among the aspects common to most of them is the fact that seasons of fast have long been part of their spiritual regimen. For millennia sages of diverse experiences have offered insights, esoteric and practical, on the benefits associated with voluntary deprivation for a specific time and for a transcending purpose. They have expanded on how the molecular realm of food and drink, for example, connects with the intangible realm of will and choice and of gratitude and conscience, and how certain sublime knowledge comes only to those who have mastered their desires. But nestled among the insights there may also be an indictment especially germane today: apparently, there is something corrupting about going through a full year in this life without some major interruption in habit, a break from conformity, that helps us to step outside our cartoon world. Ramadan, the Muslim season of fast, is such a disturbance. Ibrahim Abusharif 2008-09-01T11:00:00-06:00