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Reading the Qur’ān as a Resident Alien

A friend from Harvard has a new article out on reading the Qur’an. If you can get your hands on it, you should read it. Excerpts are below, with citation information. Whitney Bodman, “Reading the Qurān as a Resident Alien,” Muslim World 99, no. 4 (2009): 689 – 706. — Many will read the Qur’ān casually, out of curiosity. Some will read it with more academic intent and some with polemical intent (a purpose that the Qur’ān condemns, Q 2:176). All of these readers are, in the words of Paul Griffiths, consumers of the Qur’ān. These readers are less likely…

Religion and Domestic Violence

I have criticized one of On Faith’s recent panelists on Aasiya Zubair’s murder as ignoring violence in his own tradition to make it seem as though DV is a Muslim-only problem. Thankfully, another panelist points out that it exists in Christianity, and while she argues there is a problem in religious interpretation, it’s not a problem in religion. A point I try to make in conversation with Katha Pollitt.

Guest Blogger: Making the World a Better Place

These girls are daughters of a friend of mine. They’ve been taking part in this event for several years, and I make it a point to support them every time. I think it’s an important endeavor in its own right, and a great way to help children live the ethic of service and giving. Please support them if you can. —— My name is Aliya-Nur. I am 8 years old. My sister’s name is Shazia’Ayn and she is 6. May is a busy month for us. It is the World Partnership Walk month. My sister and I have been helping…