islam doesn't speak, muslims do | "the ink of the scholar is worth more than the blood of the martyr" – Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
#GivingTuesday Chat with Dr. Hussein Rashid | Ismailimail. My faith teaches that being attached to the world detaches you from God. Need balance btwn din (religion) & dunya (world) #GivingTuesday
Ismaili Institutions for Canada. Dr. Rashid’s presentation entitled “Sounding Off: Making National Narratives through Music” focused on how Muslims integrate different musical expressions to alter national narratives and normalize the presence of Muslims in North America. Dr. Rashid looked at musical genres from hip-hop to qawwali, including the practice of silence. The talk also touched on transnational flows, mixing of traditions, and Muslims ignorance of their own traditions. The question-and-answer revolved around two themes: valuing the human being and the race to cultural amnesia that Muslims are participating in.
‘Serial’ whodunit shows how perceptions of Muslims have changed (COMMENTARY) – Religion News Service. The podcast “Serial” is an addictive radio documentary that revolves around a real-life whodunit: the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee and the conviction of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, for the crime. It also illustrates how our thinking about Muslims has changed.
Why Peter Kassig was the Islamic State’s greatest threat (COMMENTARY) – Religion News Service. With each bloody act, Islamic State militants demonstrate their need for self-importance overrides any moral, ethical, or religious boundary. Peter Kassig’s beheading is a microcosm of all the Islamic State wants, and religion is not high on that list.
The delicate politics of school holidays (COMMENTARY) – Religion News Service. Changing school calendars is a politically difficult maneuver because it makes statements about community identity. Our initial school calendar was determined by a mix of agricultural schedules and dominant religious thought. The result: summers off to work the land, and the end of December off to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Despite changing economies and demographics, we hold on to this system because it tells a story of who we are as a nation.
The Islamophobia Of Media Analysis In ‘Lone Wolf’ Shootings. The recent attacks on military and law enforcement personnel in Canada and the U.S. raises the specter of “lone wolf” terrorist attacks, making Muslims suspect. Such thinking is superficial and reactionary. In the age of modern Islamophobia, it is a situation of owning a hammer and thinking everything is a nail. Looking at so-called “lone wolf” attacks in more detail and in a larger context reveals disconcerting issues in mental health care and media representations of Islam.
ISIS: More Manson Family Than Religious Movement – The Takeaway. Hussein Rashid, a professor of religion at Hofstra University, argues that extremism appeals to those with mental illness because of their perceived lack of control in their own lives.
State of Formation – The World is on Fire, so I rode The Ark. On Sunday, September 21, I was blessed to be asked to join The Ark, organized by Auburn Seminary and Groundswell (with help from lots of named and unnamed supporters) for the People's Climate March. The New York Times found it an “odd juxtaposition," that so many faith groups were next to one another, missing the point that we all share one planet. More importantly, the NYT is in the business of showing us in conflict, not the billions of ways we get along with one another…
State of Formation – I am ي، ن، ر. It is obvious that most Muslims across the world find the actions of the so-called “Islamic State” abhorrent; from condemnation in the US and UK, to satire in the Middle East, there is no point in elaborating my own personal opposition to them. However, while they may denigrate the name of the religion, and spitting on the declaration of faith they sewed into their flag, I will not give them the power to define my faith in relation to them. So, I am not ISIS, let me tell you who I…
CagleCartoons.com – Dr. Hussein Rashid (More than a Military Response Required to Beat ISIS). As ISIS appears to be gaining ground in Iraq, there seems to be a lack of a grand strategy coming out of the White House. The low hum of drone warfare, as opposed to coordinated decisive victories like in Irbil, creates a greater potential for feeding ISIS' propaganda machine. The United States must think more comprehensively than a military intervention. Syndicated at: Hussein Rashid: More than a military response required to beat ISIS Dr. Hussein Rashid: Suggestions on how to beat ISIS Dr. Hussein Rashid: More…