islam doesn't speak, muslims do | "the ink of the scholar is worth more than the blood of the martyr" – Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Very pleased to be a featured speaker for this “seminar,” of 60 second thoughts on the role of social media in the Muslim-majority world. The Future of Islam In the Age of New Media. Join 60 speakers comprised of Islamic scholars, new media experts, academics, journalists and activists, along with thousands of participants who will be tuning in for an unprecedented conversation, focused on exploring answers to these pressing questions.
The Clanzoors? Never! | Life and style | The Guardian. In the event I have only been partly ostracised by my family, but it is not only the issues with my family that persuaded Bridget to take my name. “I think it will be a great conversation opener,” she told me. “I’m going to enjoy having to explain why my second name is so exotic.” I suspect that trying to explain to the grumpy man at US immigration why her surname sounds a bit Pakistani may not be quite as enjoyable as she imagines. Nevertheless, I have to admit that…
Readers on Andrew Sullivan’s site talk about the transition the Eastern European countries faced as their regimes fell in the 80s and 90s, and how that transition is incomplete. They then make the obvious connection with the “Arab Spring,” and the fact that we should not expectations of a quick transition there. “The Slow-Grinding, Boring Mill Of Justice” – The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan
I just came from my 15th reunion, and while I did not see the same sort of public commemoration that Josh talks about, it was very much a topic of conversation as ROTC had just returned to Columbia’s campus. Josh is right, this is no longer history, but our present. I knew more people who served in Gulf I, but that doesn’t mean I’m any less aware of the loss we suffer everyday. Memorial Day | Talking Points Memo. Though there are many customary ways to observe Memorial Day, I’ve often struggled to figure out a way to do justice…
Embrace Muslim neighbors; they are not the enemy – San Antonio Express-News. If we do not befriend Muslims for the sake of loving them, then why not at least for the sake of enjoying the experience of learning about someone who might come from an ancient and fascinating culture? Why not befriend a Muslim for the sake of enjoying the company of someone who might prepare food in delicious and unique ways, who views God through a different lens, and who exhibits hospitality, genuine friendship and loyalty in ways that might surprise you? We have nothing to fear from the vast…
Berlusconi and the ‘Mamma the Turks!’ strategy | Islam, Muslims, and an Anthropologist. As an anthropologist, I find the connection that Berlusconi and his team propose between Muslims and Gypsies very interesting. Italy has been rebuked by the European Union for the intolerable condition in which Gypsies (many of whom have been Italian citizens for centuries) are left, and the lack of religious spaces for minorities in the country, with the paradoxical situation that the Catholic Church supports the construction of mosques. But the similarities end there: Gypsies in Italy tend to be Catholic or are Muslims in they own…
Great piece on the importance and necessity of print media.
I am pleased to announce I have joined Our Shared Future as a member of the Advisory Board and as part of their Opinion Leaders Network. Our Shared Future aims to improve the public conversation about Muslims and intercultural relations in the US by providing hard facts, evidence-based arguments, and research findings by reputable academics and experts.
Back in March I contributed to Center for Amerian Progress’ report on “Sharia Law.” The report can be found here. But by defining Sharia itself as the problem, and then asserting the authenticity of only the most extreme interpretations of Sharia, the authors are effectively arguing that the internecine struggle within Islam should be ceded to extremists. They also cast suspicion upon all observant Muslims. It’s important to understand that adopting such a flawed analysis would direct limited resources away from actual threats to the United States and bolster an anti-Muslim narrative that Islamist extremist groups find useful in recruiting.…
Matt Reed: What you didn’t know about Sharia law, privatization , GOP election ‘reforms.’ | FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com. Since 9/11, authorities have identified an average of seven Muslim-American terror suspects a year in domestic plots or attacks, including those caught in the early stages of planning, according to tracking by UNC sociologist Charles Kurzman. Those bad guys (and gals) represent 0.0004 percent of the U.S. Muslim population. Tip of the iceberg, you say? Even if we multiplied the number of known domestic plotters by 10, it would still mean that 99.996 percent of U.S. Muslims have had no link…